Overview

• An 11-year-old boy from Srey Sampoung village tested positive for H5N1 on May 27 and died after exposure to sick poultry, according to the Pasteur Institute of Cambodia.
• This marks the fourth confirmed human fatality from the virus in Cambodia this year, with all 2025 cases linked to contact with ill or dead birds.
• Health officials have launched investigations into the source of infection and are monitoring individuals who had contact with the boy to curb potential community spread.
• Since 2003, Cambodia has recorded 76 human H5N1 infections, including 47 deaths, highlighting the virus’s high mortality rate among people.
• Authorities warn against handling or consuming sick or deceased poultry as global outbreaks in various mammals fuel concerns over expanded transmission risks.