The Ministry of Health yesterday night announced the results of the epidemiological investigation of the death of influenza A(H5N1) human infection in the South-Central Province of Khanh Hoa.
The death is the first case this year and the second case from 2014.
As the Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper reported, the 21 year old student in the province’s Ninh Hoa Town suffered a fever, and cough on March 11; he self-medicated but his symptoms didn’t abate. Therefore, he came to the local medical clinic for treatment on March 16 and 17 where he was diagnosed with pneumonia. He was later transferred to the province’s General Hospital for further treatment.
Khanh Hoa Center for Disease Control on March 19 took patient samples for testing. According to test results on March 20, the patient tested positive for influenza A/H5 which was once again confirmed by Nha Trang Pasteur Institute on March 22 that the patient tested positive for influenza A/H5N1. Due to the student’s illness development, the patient died on March 23.
Epidemiological investigation and close contact tracing have been carried out. Through the health sector’s epidemiological investigation, on the occasion before and after the Tet holiday (the Lunar New Year 2024), the patient went to trap wild birds near his living area. There were no sick or dead poultry around the area where the patient's family lived. Close contacts with patients are listed and their health is monitored daily but no new cases have so far been detected.
According to the Ministry of Health, this is the second case of infection and death due to influenza A/H5N1 in Vietnam since 2014. No case of this dangerous disease in humans in the country was recorded for many years. From 2003 to the present, the country has recorded 128 people infected with influenza A/H5N1 including 65 succumbing to the disease.
Meanwhile, in the world, from the end of 2023 until now, many outbreaks of avian influenza in animals have been recorded in all regions, mainly due to the A/H5N1 influenza virus strain. In particular, Cambodia continues to record cases of influenza A/H5N1 in humans from the end of 2023.
Regarding the bird flu epidemic situation in the Southeast Asian country, from the beginning of 2024 until now, the country has recorded 6 bird flu outbreaks in 6 provinces and cities including Bac Ninh, Ninh Binh, Khanh Hoa, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Long An and Tien Giang. This time is the changing season, and unusual weather changes are conducive to the development of pathogens. Therefore, the Ministry of Health believes that in the coming time there will still be a potential risk of influenza infection in humans.
Meanwhile, there is currently no specific treatment for avian influenza in humans and no vaccine to prevent the disease. Influenza virus A/H5N1 is a highly virulent strain of influenza, so infected people often develop severe disease and die at a high rate.
The Ministry of Health recommends people to take precautions to proactively prevent the spread of influenza A/H5N1 from poultry to humans:
1. People do not eat sick and dead poultry or poultry products well as as poultry with unknown origin but people should eat cooked food and drink boiled water as well as wash their hands with soap before eating.
2. People do not slaughter, transport, buy or sell poultry and poultry products of unknown origin.
3. When discovering sick or dead poultry, people should not slaughter and use it, but must immediately notify the local authorities and veterinary unit in the area.
4. People should avoid direct contact with wild birds and observe wild birds only from a distance slaughter, and eating of wild animals, especially birds.
5. When people have flu symptoms such as fever, cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing related to poultry, they must immediately go to a medical facility for timely consultation, examination and treatment.
