Don`t stop eating eggs or chicken for fear of bird flu

Experts are concerned about bird flu across the country as the prevalence of the novel coronavirus is declining. The threat has been confirmed, with flocks of birds dying of the H5N1 virus, commonly known as bird flu. Among the various strains of the flu virus, the H5N1 virus has been reported in our country this year. Many are thinking of giving up eating eggs and chickens out of fear, while many are thinking of opening the cages of foreign birds and blowing them up.

If so, what an epidemic is coming again! Yogiraj Roy, an infectious disease specialist at Beleghata ID Hospital, dismissed that fear. There is no risk of bird flu spreading from neighboring birds such as crows, hawks, sparrows or doves. On the contrary, for those who work on poultry farms and cut meat, there is always a fear, if the chicken is sick. Yogiraj said that the disease is not spread by floating in the air from chicken or duck farms. Bacteria can spread from the meat of infected birds.

Devakishore Gupta, an infectious disease specialist, said that there have been no reports of bird-to-human transmission in our country so far. Those who cut meat or are in direct contact with raw meat are required to wear masks and gloves or wash their hands with soap. If this rule is followed, there is no possibility of spreading the disease. Devkishore Gupta assured that the possibility of human-to-human transmission of bird flu from one person to another is very slim.

However, it is not right to violate general hygiene under any circumstances. Although the flu has not been known to spread from one infected person to another. But it cannot be said with certainty that there is no such possibility as the other five flu cases, said Yogiraj. Both doctors are of the opinion that there is no ban on eating eggs or chicken in case of bird flu.

However, raw meat should be eaten only after it has been thoroughly washed and refined in a separate place. The same applies to eggs. Half boiled or half-raw egg meat should not be eaten under any circumstances.