PHNOM PENH, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- A 19-year-old man was confirmed to become the eighth person in Cambodia who contracted with avian influenza since early 2005, according to a release from the Cambodian Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization's (WHO) local branch here on Friday.

    The patient, from the capital's neighboring province Kandal, is currently being treated in the Calmette Hospital in Phnom Penh, it said, adding that this was the first case of human bird flu contraction detected in Cambodia in 2008.

    He became ill on Nov. 28 with fever, cough, muscle ache and sore throat and then sought medical care at the local health centers respectively on Nov. 30 and Dec. 2.

    After he was identified as the latest victim to the epidemic on Dec. 11, the ministry immediately started field investigation there, said the release.

    The investigation teams will continue their probe house by house in the affected area to spot people with fever or cough as well as sick or dead chicken, it said.

    Public education materials will also be distributed, it added.

    All the previous seven cases of human contraction of bird flu in Cambodia ended in the victims' death. The seventh case occurred in April 2007.