The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries in Tamil Nadu issued an advisory detailing biosecurity and precautionary measures to prevent the spread of bird flu among poultry, wild birds and humans. This comes after there were reports of large-scale crow deaths over a possible outbreak of avian influenza. Officials also urged residents to remain alert and follow safety protocols.
Health officials in Tamil Nadu have advised people to seek immediate medical attention if they develop flu-like symptoms such as cough, cold, fever or breathing difficulty, particularly those who may have been exposed to birds.
Commonly known as bird flu, this is an infection from a type of influenza (flu) virus that usually spreads in birds and other animals. Cleveland Clinic says that humans can get bird flu from infected animals sometimes. Like the versions of flu that people usually get, bird flu can make you severely ill. It’s extremely rare for it to spread from person to person.
With reports of bird flu outbreak, there have been concerns about the transmission of the virus through everyday foods like eggs and chicken. Health authorities across the world confirm that proper cooking removes the risk of transmission from eggs and chicken, which makes these safe for consumption.
How Does Bird Flu Virus Spread?
Bird flu occurs due to influenza A viruses, with strains like H5N1 being highly pathogenic in poultry. It spreads through direct contact with the infected birds’ saliva, mucous, or faeces. Humans can get infected when they are exposed for a long time, such as farm workers handling sick birds.
The virus does not thrive in processed poultry products which are available in the market. Regulatory bodies like the The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) test flocks rigorously before slaughter or sale, wherein they cull the infected ones. There have been no reports on human infections that have occurred after consuming cooked eggs or chicken.