The outbreak of bird flu in America is showing no signs of stopping. Since April 2024, 27 cases of bird flu or avian influenza A(H5) have been seen here. Recently, avian influenza has been found in four workers at an egg farm in Franklin County, located in southeast Washington State. Health officials said that these people got this infection from infected poultry.
Apart from this, human infection of this virus has also been confirmed in five other states. At the same time, due to increasing cases of bird flu in poultry, dairy animals and wildlife, about 8 lakh birds were killed on October 15 after the test results came back as bird flu was confirmed in them.
People infected with bird flu are showing mild symptoms and are being treated with antiviral drugs. Their test samples have been shared with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for confirmation and analysis of the virus. Now there is a fear in the minds of people that even if they eat chicken or egg, how should they eat it? Let us know about the way to eat it safely.
How does bird flu spread to humans?
According to NHS UK, bird flu is usually spread to humans when you touch an infected bird, its feces or bedding, or kill or cook infected poultry.
A person infected with bird flu may have diarrhea, high fever, chills, body ache, cough, cold, and difficulty in breathing.
Along with this, stomach related problems like diarrhea, stomach ache, vomiting, chest pain, bleeding from nose and gums, and redness of the eyes (conjunctivitis) can also be seen.
Follow these food guidelines during bird flu
Chicken and eggs are an important part of our diet, but during bird flu, they should be cooked and eaten at high temperatures. Also, to kill the virus, its storage method should also be considered.
Ways to eat chicken safely
When you buy chicken, bring it home and store it in the kitchen, it is very important to store it properly. The juice released from meat can contaminate other foods, so it is important to store it properly. Use a cool bag of ice when you bring the chicken in and put it in the refrigerator or freezer within two hours of purchasing it.
Avoid washing chicken before cooking, as this can spread bacteria in the kitchen. And most importantly, cook the chicken thoroughly, as viruses do not survive at cooking temperatures.
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Safe way to eat eggs during flu
Flu viruses can enter through small pores in the egg shell, because viruses are very small. In such a situation, it may be difficult to remove the virus from the outer surface of the egg through cleaning. Therefore, it is important to cook eggs thoroughly so that they are safe to consume.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that poultry, eggs, and other animal products be cooked to the correct temperature and that cross-contamination be avoided between raw and cooked foods.