Bird flu: an 11-year-old girl died and her father contracted the disease

There is worldwide concern after a An 11-year-old girl died in Cambodia a product of bird flu infection. This is the first death from this disease in that country since 2014.

According to local health authorities, the girl and her father were infected with subtype H5N1, a highly contagious strain from illness.

Cambodia’s National Health Surveillance Agency (CDCD) stated that the minor was infected on February 16 and with symptoms of fever, cough and dry throat. As she did not improve as the days passed, she was admitted to a children’s hospital in Phnom Penh where she finally died on February 22.

This is the first human death from the disease in Cambodia since 2014, after the country suffered 37 bird flu deaths between 2003 and 2014.

As for the girl’s father, it has not yet been determined whether he will he got it from contact with his daughter or if both were infected by a bird.

For what happened, Sylvie Briandin charge of WHO pandemic prevention, explained that “currently It is too early to say whether it is a transfer between people or if it is associated with common exposure to the same environment”.

14 cases of bird flu have been confirmed in Argentina

According to the latest information from the National Service for Health and Quality of Agricultural Food (Senasa), there are a total of 14 confirmed cases of bird flu throughout Argentina, in wild and backyard birds.

IN Cordoba the virus was detected in eight departments (General San Martín, Alejo Ledesma, Villa del Rosario, Deheza and Baldisera; Santa Rosa del Río Primero and Villa Tulumba), while in jump a positive case was recorded in the city of Cerrillos.

The disease also had an effect Santa Fe (Villa Cañas, San Jerónimo), Jujuy (Laguna de Pozuelo), Neuquén (Zapata) and the district of Puán in Buenos Aires.

BIRD FLU: MEASURES TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT

First of all, “gatherings of birds” were prohibited.Therefore, “exhibitions, fairs, manifestations and recreational activities involving the concentration and movement of domestic, ornamental and wild birds” cannot be carried out. Its distribution, sale and transmission is also vetoed.

In the meantime, it will require health documentation which covers the movement of birds for any reason or purpose. In case of lack of said authority, taking away immediately from the animals.

They also settled down additional sanitary measures in national or provincial parks or nature reserves, in order to reduce the spread of the disease. Among them, public access will be limited.

On the other hand, provincial wildlife authorities have been asked to use “necessary means to reduce the spread of disease through wild animals, limiting activities that favor the spread of birds and contact between wild birds and people,” such as hunting activities.