What is Avian Flu?
Avian flu (H5N1) is a type of influenza A that mainly infects birds but occasionally affects humans.
What is the route of transmission of avian influenza?
Avian flu can be transmitted from live birds to people, while transmission between humans is very inefficient.
What are the symptoms of avian influenza?
The initial symptoms of avian flu are similar to those of other influenza viruses, including fever, generalised muscle pain, cough and sore throat. However, it is more likely to result in high fever, chest infection, respiratory failure, multi-organ failure, and death.
What can I do to prevent avian influenza?
Avoid touching live birds or poultry or their droppings as droppings of infected birds and poultry may carry the avian flu virus.
Wash your hands immediately and thoroughly with liquid soap and water if you have been in contact with live birds or poultry.
Consult a doctor and wear a mask to prevent spreading the disease if you have flu symptoms.
Consult your doctor and tell him/her about your travel history if you develop fever and respiratory symptoms after returning from a country that reports an avian flu outbreak.
The best protection against influenza is having good body resistance. This can be achieved through a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate rest, reducing stress, and not smoking. Avoid crowded places with poor ventilation.
At all times: Observe good personal and environmental hygiene:
Keep hands clean, wash hands frequently with liquid soap, especially before eating and touching nose, mouth and eyes.
Cover your mouth and nose with tissue paper when coughing or sneezing.
Dispose the soiled tissues properly (into a bin with lid), then wash hands thoroughly.
Maintain good indoor ventilation.
Avoid crowded places with poor ventilation if you are feeling unwell.
When preparing food:
Separate raw meat from cooked or ready-to-eat foods. Do not use the same chopping board or the same knife for preparing raw meat and cooked or read-to-eat foods.
Do not handle raw or cooked foods without washing your hands in between.
Do not place cooked meat back on the same plate or surface before it was cooked.
All foods from poultry should be cooked thoroughly, including eggs. Egg yolks should not be runny or liquid. Since influenza viruses are destroyed by heat, the cooking temperature for poultry meat should reach 70˘XC (158˘XF).
Wash egg shells in soapy water before handling and cooking, and then wash your hands.
Do not use raw or soft-boiled eggs in foods that will not be cooked.
After handling raw poultry or eggs, wash your hands and all surfaces and utensils thoroughly with soap and water. For More Info
