PHNOM PENH, March 23 (Xinhua) -- A three-year-and-six-month boy from northeast Cambodia's Kratie province has been confirmed for H5N1 human avian influenza, raising the number of cases to three so far this year, said a Ministry of Health's statement on Sunday.

The boy had been brought to the hospital in a critical condition with fever, cough, and dyspnea, it said, adding that he is receiving medical treatment with the utmost care from a team of doctors.

"According to queries, the patient's family raised chickens and about five chickens had died, as some others were sick, and his family members cooked the dead poultry for food," the statement said.

Health authorities are looking into the source of the infection and are examining any suspected cases or people who have been in contact with the patient in order to prevent an outbreak in the community, it added.

Among the three human cases of H5N1 so far this year, two had died, and all patients reportedly had a history of recent exposure to sick or dead poultry prior to their illness.

H5N1 influenza is a flu that normally spreads between sick poultry, but it can sometimes spread from poultry to humans, and its symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and severe respiratory illness.

From 2003 to date, there were 75 cases of human infection with H5N1 influenza, including 45 deaths in the Southeast Asian country, according to the ministry. Enditem

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