Avian flu in chicken is a rumor says Deptt of Animal Husbandry
by Ovais Gull
No threat of bird flu transmission to humans by way of eating poultry: Health Experts
Srinagar: As reports scare people over flu found in the chicken, the animal husbandry department Kashmir on Monday refuted the reports, saying that people must not pay heed to the rumours. However, the health experts also claim that eating contaminated poultry doesn’t infect people.
Avian influenza refers to the disease caused by infection with avian (bird) influenza (flu) Type A viruses. These viruses occur naturally among wild aquatic birds worldwide and can infect domestic poultry and other bird and animal species. Avian flu viruses do not normally infect humans.
The rumours are being spread on social media with denizens appealing people not to have Chicken as infectious disease have been found in the chicken. These rumours come amid the closure of Srinagar-Jammu highway from past week here following the fresh snowfall.
A top official from Animal Husbandry department while talking to INS said that there is no need to scare over the reports as the flu in Chicken is far from the truth.
He added that the department could have sounded alert in case there the flu could have been found in the Chicken. “We have not received any complaint so far in this regard, thus the reports circulated especially on social media are only rumours,” he added.
Meanwhile, the officials from health department also said that no such case has been reported so far. “We have not received any patient who fell ill after having a Chicken,” they said, thus advising people not to scare in this regard.
However, the health experts said even if there is case of bird flu, there is no threat of bird flu transmission to humans by way of eating poultry.
“Till date, there is no evidence that people have become infected after eating contaminated poultry meat that has been properly cooked,” a health expert, Dr. Nisar-ul-Hassan said while talking to INS, cautioning that one needs to make sure that the meat is not raw, uncooked or partially cooked.
“Cooking of poultry at or above 70 degree centigrade kills the virus,” he added.
However, Dr. Nisar said that though people can’t get infected after eating the poultry but in case they are dealing it then there are many chances to get infected to it.
He further said that the H5N1 (bird flu) in case get adapted then it may more lives than other flu.
