Here's What You Need To Know About The Bird Flu Outbreak In India

As India deals with the upending effects of COVID-19 outbreak till now, various states have recorded the re-emergence of the avian flu, also known as bird flu. This advent of resurfacing virus will undoubtedly add on to the toll of states drastically hit by COVID-19. The affected states reported as of now are Gujarat, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Kerala.

Here are 10 things to know about the on-going bird flu in our country:

1. Avian flu or bird flu is a contagious disease mostly in birds, which could also be passed on to humans. Scientifically, avian flu mostly refers to influenza A virus, which is a zoonotic infection with a natural reservoir almost entirely in birds. Also called H5N1 virus, first detected in 1996 in geese in China.
2. Bird flu outbreaks have been affecting poultry birds around the globe for decades now. To contain the spread, culling of infected birds is a common measure. In humans, it proved to be fatal as 6 out of 18 infected humans died of the virus in the first outbreak in 1997 in Hong Kong. Furthermore, it has caused hundreds of death in subsequent outbreaks, particularly in Southeast Asia.
3. Movement of infected poultry and migratory birds as well as illegal bird trade are mostly the causes of the spread. Moreover, mammals like cats and lions were also reported with the infection. Subsequently, several other strains of the virus like H5N2 and H5N8 jumped from animals to humans. This went on to become a global public health concern in the last decade.
4. In almost all cases, people who come in close contact with infected birds, alive or dead, have contracted the H5N1 flu, and it does not usually spread from person to person. As per WHO, there is also no evidence that the disease can also spread via properly cooked poultry food. This is because the virus is sensitive to heat and dies in cooking temperatures.
5. However, it is a highly deadly infection which causes 6 out of 10 deaths in people who contract the disease, as reported by the health authorities. Furthermore, its susceptible mutation also has the potential to cause a far more adverse pandemic like COVID-19.
6.  India hasn't witnessed the flu in humans, as stated by the Union ministry. It has appeared in episodes in the country every now and then. The present outbreak has occurred in various states. It has been reported among wild geese in Himachal Pradesh, crows in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and ducks in Kerala. Around hundred thousand poultry birds have died mysteriously in Haryana in these days.
7. In a shocking incident, around 1,800 migratory birds have been found dead in Himachal Pradesh's Pong Dam lake. Furthermore, two districts of Kerala recorded cases of bird flu. The state government there prompted the concerned authorities to order the culling of ducks.  250 crows were also found dead in half a dozen districts In Rajasthan.
8. Various state governments have taken measures to contain the spread of the virus. Culling of birds, prohibition of meat-selling, intense tests and studies are a few of the provisions. The central government has already issued an alert to the states.
9. In humans, the influenza attacks the respiratory tract of humans and may cause severe respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Meanwhile, it attacks the gut in birds. It causes various symptoms in birds like lack of coordination, purple discoloration of the wattles, combs, and legs, soft-shelled or misshapen eggs, lack of energy and appetite and sudden death. Its early symptoms in humans include fever, cough, sore throat, and sometimes abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
10. Vaccination can prevent birds from the virus, as recommended by World Health Organisation. For humans, antiviral drugs do the work, according to the Union health ministry. Furthermore, the ministry advises people working with poultry to use protective equipments and follow utmost hygiene. The USA also has a vaccine for the flu.

Also Read: Who Is Sarah Gilbert? 10 Things To Know About The Woman Scientist Behind Oxford’s COVID-19 Vaccine

Feature Image Credits: Getty Images