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Cambodia: WHO Investigating Child Deaths From Unknown Disease

 

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See UPDATE EV71 Linked To Cambodian `Mystery’ Virus

 

# 6418

 

Reuters this morning is carrying a story regarding the – as yet – unidentified disease that has claimed the lives of at least 60 children in Cambodia over the past 90 days. 

 

The victims have been admitted to hospitals in Phnom Penh (pop. 2.2 million) and northern city of Siem Reap (pop. 170K ) with a mixture of high fevers, encephalitis, and respiratory symptoms.

 

Most reportedly succumbed within 24 hours of admission from what was described as "rapid deterioration of respiratory function".

 

WHO probing child deaths from unknown disease in Cambodia

Tue, 3 Jul 2012 09:20 GMT

 

Although viral fevers such as dengue or chikungunya can produce some of the signs and symptoms (ie. fevers and encephalitis) mentioned in the report above, acute respiratory failure (ARF) is not typically one of them.

 

No nosocomial spread of this illness has been reported in the hospitals.

 

The Cambodian Ministry of Health website (English version) is slow to load this morning, but I find no mention of this outbreak on their front page or on their News & Events Page.

 

A quick search of ProMed Mail over the past 3 months turns up a number of reports of mainly vector-borne diseases in Cambodia, including chikungunya, dengue, & malaria , and a couple of cases of H5N1 (details here & here), but no mentions of this outbreak.

 

  • 26 Jun 2012 Malaria - Cambodia
  • 01 Jun 2012 Influenza (43): Cambodia, H1N1, H3N2, porcine ex human
  • 28 May 2012 Avian influenza, human (51): Cambodia (KS) fatality
  • 19 May 2012 Chikungunya & dengue - Cambodia (02) comment
  • 19 May 2012 Chikungunya, dengue - Cambodia (02) comment
  • 19 May 2012 Chikungunya & dengue - Cambodia
  • 06 Apr 2012 Avian influenza, human (43): Cambodia (KC) WHO
  • 03 Apr 2012 Avian influenza, human (41): Cambodia (KC), Egypt, (DA, GA)

 

 

While strides have been made in reducing child mortality in Cambodia, according to the World Health Organization  1 child in 12 does not survive to the age of 5 (cite).

 

According to the WHO, major causes of child death in Cambodia include premature births, fever, respiratory diseases, complications at delivery and tetanus.

 

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For now, the cause of this new and deadly outbreak remains unknown. We’ll watch this story in hopes of learning more in the days and weeks to come.

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