The pandemic that gave us scares on multiple occasions before the COVID 19 pandemic last year, was the Bird flu or Avian flu. Avian flu, as the name suggests, is an influenza predominantly that infects birds, often proving to be fatal infection. As odd as it might sound, bird flu is generally present in some aquatic bird populations across the world and it only becomes a scare when it affects large bird populations, poultry and sometimes human beings.
If you thought Bird flu only affected Chicken, you’d be surprised to learn that Bird flu has been reported in other species of birds too. One Indian Express article stated, ‘Bird flu has been reported among wild geese in Himachal Pradesh, crows in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and ducks in Kerala...’ Bird flu essentially refers to infections caused by a group of viruses, for instance the infamous H5N1, which is responsible for the deaths of many birds and humans worldwide.
Recurring Flu
One unique aspect of the Bird flu is that we are witnessing sporadic but recurring instances of the same. The recurring instances of Bird flu have been causing great distress to human lives as well as industries based on or around poultry. One of the first instances of a Bird flu outbreak in India can be traced back to the year 2006, to a small village called Navapur, Nandurbar in Maharashtra. This was followed by a Bird flu outbreak in over 13 districts of West Bengal in the year 2008 which resulted in large scale culling of poultry.
Fatality
Bird Flu is deadly to most birds and it's deadly to humans and to other mammals as well. During an outbreak, people should avoid contact with domesticated bird populations and surfaces that may have been contaminated by bird excretions. Although bird flu may kill more than half the people it infects, the number of fatalities is still low. Fewer than 500 bird flu deaths have been reported to the World Health Organization since 1997.
Rumours
It's very common to find yourself at the receiving end of misinformation. It is important to keep in touch with accurate news and information especially when dealing with any kind of virus. Some rampant rumours that have no truth to it are, vegetarians cannot contract bird flu, that there is no threat of bird flu from infected dead birds. Another popular myth is that bird flu spreads from human to human. Having the correct information not only helps you but also other people and keeps unwanted panic at bay.
Precautions
Washing your hands with warm water and soap, especially before and after handling food is essential. Make sure you use different utensils for cooked and raw meat and one should make sure that the meat is properly cooked. One obvious yet important piece of advice would be to avoid contact with all live birds and poultry.
Globally, from January 2003 to 14 January 2021, there were 862 cases of human infection with the flu reported from 17 countries. Till now, there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission in India or elsewhere. Government has issued effective guidelines and rules to follow to ensure people all over the nation stay safe.
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