Cambodia alerts spread of local transmission of A/H1N1 disease

www.chinaview.cn

2009-09-03

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and World Health Organization (WHO) alerted Thursday that the country is now facing a spread of local transmission of A/H1N1 disease.

In a released statement, Ministry of Health and WHO said "although the majority of cases contacted the A/H1N1 virus in other countries or had been in direct contact with travelers, there are now indications that local transmission of the New Influenza A/H1N1 is occurring within Cambodia."

"Five Cambodians were confirmed as having contracted the virus locally with no history of travel or contact with travelers," it added.

According to the statement, as of August 31, the number of laboratory confirmed cases of new influenza A/H1N1 in Cambodia has risen to 31, but all have fully recovered.

WHO said as of August 28, 2009, there were more than 209,438 confirmed cases in more than 180 countries world wide. The case fatality rate, however, is only around one percent.

The virus now has become so widespread that countries are no longer required to report individual cases to WHO as did in recent months.

In an effort to slow down the spread of the disease in Cambodia, individuals who test positive for new influenza A/H1N1 will be requested to undergo treatment or isolation either at home or at a hospital for seven days from onset of the symptoms.

Editor: Xiong Tong