Monday, March 27, 2006
Three sick Cambodians test negative for bird flu
PHNOM PENH, March 27 (Reuters) - Three Cambodians suffering from fever and coughs tested negative for bird flu after a 3-year-old girl died of the virus last week, the head of the hospital treating them said on Monday.
"All three tested for bird flu showed negative," said Heng Taykry, director of Phnom Penh's Calmette Hospital, where the trio have been staying since being admitted with bird flu-like symptoms on Saturday. A joint Cambodian-World Health Organisation (WHO) statement said the adult and two children had come into contact with dead poultry in their village in Kampong Speu province, around 40 miles (60 km) from Phnom Penh.
"The two children played with the dead poultry and the adult took the dead chickens to cook," said Ly Sovann, Cambodia's main bird flu surveillance official, before the test results came out.