Swine flu hits Cambodia

iafrica
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Wed, 24 Jun 2009

Cambodia and the World Health Organisation on Wednesday confirmed the country's first case of swine flu after an American girl visiting on a school trip tested positive for the virus.

The 16-year-old arrived in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh on Friday, developed A (H1N1) symptoms the following day and was isolated when she checked into a medical clinic on Monday, said a WHO and Cambodian health ministry statement.

"With the virus now circulating globally, its eventual arrival in Cambodia was expected," said Cambodia's Minister of Health Mam Bun Heng.

"We are pleased that the systems we have put in place have worked in identifying and isolating the case," he added.

The girl has been recovering in hospital without any complications and the rest of her school group was under voluntary observation, said the statement.

A(H1N1), which emerged in Mexico in April, has killed 231 people worldwide and infected more than 52 000 people in over 100 countries and territories.

AFP