Copyright timesnownews
France and Germany have raised the alarm over bird flu, saying the risk to poultry farms is “high” amid a rise in cases across Europe. According to a decree from the French agriculture ministry, poultry farms are now required to keep their birds indoors. The ministry said it “aims to strengthen surveillance and prevention measures” against the virus. Highly pathogenic avian influenza - also known as bird flu- has spread at elevated levels in recent years among wild birds and poultry farms worldwide, and has jumped to mammals like mink and cats. In Germany as well, authorities have raised the risk level after several people came into contact with infected birds and other animals. That raises the risk that the virus could mutate to a point where it spreads more easily among people, causing concern among global health experts. Other European countries have also taken recent steps to address bird flu risks. Last week, the Dutch agriculture ministry detected an outbreak on a poultry farm, leading to the culling of 71,000 birds and an order to keep birds indoors. In recent years, tens of millions of birds have been culled in Europe to prevent the virus from spreading. “The risk to human health in the EU/EEA is currently considered very low,” the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said in a press release. Can humans catch bird flu? Experts say yes, but very rarely. Most people never come in contact with infected birds, so the risk is low. But when it happens, it is mostly in those who work closely with poultry, like farm workers, market sellers, or vets. However, one of the bird flu strains – the H5N1 is very dangerous and it can cause serious illness in humans if it jumps species. A few signs and symptoms which resemble those of regular flu initially – high fever, cough, sore throat – can sometimes turn extremely severe, leading to pneumonia or breathing problems, which can also be fatal. However, human-to-human spread is extremely uncommon, and health experts say there’s no need for panic. Can India be affected by the spread of bird flu? In India, there have been regular outbreaks of bird flu infection, with affected birds usually culled to prevent the infection from spreading. The government also keeps a close eye on the outbreaks in poultry to prevent them from spilling over to people. Farms are always disinfected, birds are vaccinated, and wildlife is monitored. However, it is always better to take precautions, even if you are not in the area where bird flu has spread, as it can affect product availability and prices. There is also a high risk of cross-border spread as migratory wild birds do not stop at national borders. So, according to experts, outbreaks in France can also spread across Europe and Asia. While the risk to the general public is still considered very low, scientists are keeping an eye out for any virus mutation or jump to humans.
