An eight-year-old boy from Kratie confirmed to have the year’s second case of bird flu in Cambodia died on Friday, according to the Ministry of Health and World Health Organisation (WHO).

The boy, from Sre Cha commune in Snuol district, was confirmed positive for the H5N1 virus on Saturday, a joint statement from the WHO and the ministry said yesterday.

The boy was admitted to Kampong Cham hospital on February 7 along with his two-year-old sister, who was suffering from similar symptoms.

Only hours after being admitted to hospital, the girl died, said Vicky Houssiere, a WHO communications officer.

“Even though she had similar symptoms as her brother, we can’t call her the third case of avian influenza this year because no sample was taken before or after she died,” Houssiere said.

At least 22 cases of bird flu in Cambodia were recorded by the Ministry of Health last year, more than any previous year.