Cambodia reports fatal H5N1 bird flu case in 22-year-old man

Cambodia has reported a new human case of H5N1 bird flu after a 22-year-old man in Phnom Penh, the country’s capital, tested positive for the virus, according to the Ministry of Health.

The case was confirmed on Saturday by the National Institute of Public Health. The patient lived in Kien Khleang Village in Chroy Changvar District.

The patient died due to severe symptoms, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing, according to the ministry.

Health officials said national and local response teams are investigating possible sources of infection in both animals and humans, with no exposure source yet identified.

Officials are collecting samples from individuals who had contact with the patient. Close contacts are being treated with Tamiflu as a precaution, which is standard protocol in Cambodia following H5N1 detections.

LINK: A list of all human cases of H5N1 bird flu since 2021

Cambodia has seen a rise in H5N1 cases this year, with most detected since June. This latest case is the thirteenth confirmed since the start of that month. In total, 17 human infections have been reported in 2025, including seven deaths.

It is not yet known which strain was involved in the latest case, though it is likely clade 2.3.2.1c, a variant that is endemic in the country. Separate cases involving this strain or similar variants have also been reported in Bangladesh and India this year.

Another strain, clade 2.3.4.4b, has gained international attention since 2022 due to its global spread and increasing number of infections in mammals, including humans.