Wednesday, 30 June 2010

Cambodian PM infected with swine flu: government

Cambodian PM Hun Sen opens a new overpass in Phnom Penh on June 24

via Khmer NZ News Media

PHNOM PENH — Cambodian premier Hun Sen and several top officials have been infected with swine flu, a government spokesman said Tuesday.

"I can confirm he and several ministers have tested positive with the virus," spokesman Khieu Kanharith told AFP, while a letter from health minister Mam Bunheng said the prime minister was now recovering.

The premier was found to be carrying the A(H1N1) virus after his weekly cabinet meeting on Friday and medics subsequently tested all ministers and officials attending the meeting, according to the letter.

It said tests found Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhay Ly, two senior ministers and two officials were also infected with the virus and are now being treated carefully by doctors, although it did not give their whereabouts.

"After being treated carefully by Cambodian doctors, the Prime Minister's health is returning to normal," the letter said, adding that Hun Sen had failed to attend his ruling party's anniversary and cancelled other appointments.

The World Health Organisation said earlier this month that 18,156 people had died from swine flu, a year after the influenza was declared a pandemic, but that the virus was now "globally less active".

In Cambodia six people have died from the virus and another 591 have been infected, according to the country's health ministry.

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