The death of poultry birds has been reported in several states in India including Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Kerala. These states have already confirmed the presence of the bird flu virus in some dead birds. Now, the bird flu outbreak has raised concerns among chicken lovers about whether eggs and chicken are safe to eat.
As a precautionary measure, the government has closed all the poultry shops and implemented a ban on the sale of eggs and other poultry products in the affected areas. The people are avoiding the consumption of chicken, and egg amid the bird flu outbreak. Due to this, the prices of poultry products like chicken and egg have dropped in some areas.
Let’s see what WHO and health authorities say about eating chicken and eggs
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), people who come in close contact with infected or dead birds can catch the bird flu virus. But the flu virus doesn’t usually transmit from one person to another.
WHO said that the bird flu virus does not transmit from properly cooked poultry food to humans as the bird flu virus is heat sensitive. The bird flu virus generally dies at normal cooking temperature.
Indian authorities said that people should not panic. People can eat cooked chicken and eggs in areas where there is no bird flu outbreak.
For now, people are advised to:
- Cook poultry food properly above 70 degrees Celsius
- Follow proper hygiene while handling raw meat
- Use different utensils to wash and cook the meat
- Not mix raw and cooked meat
- Not eat runny eggs
People who are working in the poultry farms are highly advised to wear PPE kits while handling the birds and report the sudden death of any bird to the nearby animal husbandry department.
The bird flu virus is very deadly and can affect the respiratory system of humans. It can cause mild flu-like symptoms like fever, cough, sore throat, diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain. It can also cause serious complications such as pneumonia, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), and even death.
