A 3-year-old boy in suburban Phnom Penh died of H5N1 avianinfluenza earlier this month, raising Cambodia ’s H5N1 death tollthis year to two, the country’s Health Ministry said on March 7.

According to a joint statement by the ministry and the World HealthOrganisation (WHO), the boy died on March 2 after being admitted tohospital for three days.

He had onset symptoms offever, cough, running nose and vomiting on Feb. 22 and his parents senthim to the National Pediatric Hospital a week later after hiscondition worsened. He became the sixth person infected with the virusin 2014.

The statement said in mid-February, over 90percent of the chickens and small number of ducks suddenly died in theboy's village, and he often went to the house of a neighbour whosepoultry died.

Also in the month, an 8-year-old boy in Cambodian died of A/H5N1 influenza.

Bird flu remains a serious threat to the health of all Cambodians andchildren seem to be the most vulnerable, said Health Minister MamBunheng.

Parents should keep their children awayfrom sick or dead poultry and make sure children wash their hands withsoap and water after any contact with poultry, he said.

H5N1 influenza normally spreads between sick poultry, but it cansometimes spread from poultry to human beings, according to WHO.

The virus was first identified in Cambodia 10 years ago. To date,the country has reported 53 human cases of the virus, killing 35 people,the statement said.-VNA