Simulation of A/H5N1 flu virus. Photo courtesy of the HCM City Children’s Hospital

KHÁNH HÒA — A 21-year-old male student at Nha Trang University died on Saturday after an eight-day fight against the H5 influenza virus.

The patient, whose identity has not been revealed, was in critical condition before succumbing to the disease, with his lungs being affected by fibrosis.

Dr. Nguyễn Đông, director of Khánh Hòa Provincial Tropical Diseases Hospital, confirmed the patient’s death on March 23, despite the efforts of medical professionals across different hospitals.

“This is the first reported death from the A/H5 flu in Việt Nam this year, but the specific strain of the virus remains unidentified,” he said.

The patient began experiencing symptoms on March 11 and visited a local health clinic. The clinic recommended that he be hospitalised, but he rejected the advice.

When his condition worsened, he was admitted to a regional hospital and later transferred to Khánh Hòa Provincial Tropical Diseases Hospital. There, his sample was sent to the Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang and he was diagnosed with the H5 influenza virus.

As of Saturday, 83 individuals who were in contact with the patient, including family members, healthcare staff and students, are being monitored for any signs of illness.

The Khánh Hòa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating to determine the source of the infection in order to prevent its spread in the community.

A five-year-old girl in the northern province of Phú Thọ last year became Việt Nam’s first human H5 influenza flu case since 2014, according to the Ministry of Health.

H5 influenza flu can result in a range of symptoms from mild respiratory problems to severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, shock, and fatality.

Since 2003, the country has recorded nearly 130 human cases of A/H5, all linked to the H5N1 virus, with 64 resulting in death, according to the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology.

People are advised against consuming food made from sick and dead poultry or poultry products of uncertain origins. — VNS