Cambodia reports first human H5N1 case of 2026

A man in Cambodia has tested positive for H5N1 bird flu in the country’s first confirmed human case of 2026, according to health officials. The patient has since recovered.

Cambodia’s Ministry of Health confirmed the case on Saturday, identifying the patient as a 30-year-old man from Meanrith village in Kampot Province. The region is located in southwestern Cambodia near the border with Vietnam.

The man developed a fever, cough, and abdominal pain before testing positive for avian influenza A(H5N1). He received treatment and was allowed to return home on Saturday, according to the ministry.

The suspected source of the infection was a dead chicken found at the patient’s home. The bird was reportedly cooked approximately three days before the man began showing symptoms, health officials said.

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.

The infection is the first human case of H5N1 reported in Cambodia in 2026. The country confirmed 19 human cases in 2025, resulting in at least eight deaths reported nationwide.

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. 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.