Bird Flu Outbreak: Bird flu has been reported in wild geese of Himachal Pradesh, crows in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and ducks in Kerala. In Hariyana, about one lakh poultry birds have mysteriously died in the last few days.
Around 1800 migratory birds were found dead in Himachal’s Pong Dam Lake. At the same time, bird flu has been found in two districts of Kerala and authorities have also been ordered to kill ducks. A bird flu alert has also been issued in Rajasthan, where more than 250 crows were found dead in 6 districts.
What is avian influenza or bird flu?
Bird flu disease is caused by the avian influenza virus H5N1. It is a highly contagious viral disease caused by influenza type-A virus and usually affects birds such as chickens and turkeys. Apart from birds, this virus also hunts humans. Bird flu infection spreads quickly in birds such as chickens, turkeys, geese, peacocks and ducks. This influenza virus is so dangerous that it can also cause death of humans and birds. Till now birds are considered to be the major cause of bird flu, but sometimes it happens from human to human also.
How does bird flu spread?
Wild water birds such as ducks and geese carry the influenza-A virus naturally. Many birds have this flu in their body but they do not get sick from it and through feces remove the virus from the body. Because birds also excrete while flying, the influenza virus is easily spread around the world. Long-distance migratory birds carry the flu with them, which spreads to poultry and local birds. Sometimes this virus is also spread to pigs, horses, cats and dogs.
When and how did humans also become infected with bird flu?
Bird flu has been affecting poultry worldwide for centuries, killing infected birds, which is the only way to prevent the infection. But for the first time in 1997, bird flu was seen in humans. The flu began to spread from a live bird market in Hong Kong. 18 people were affected by the flu, out of which 6 died.
After a few years, the infection resurfaced and caused hundreds of human deaths worldwide, especially in Southeast Asia. The movement of infected chickens and migratory birds and the illegal bird trade is believed to be the cause of the spread of the virus. During this time cats and lions were also found infected with this virus.
Does bird flu spread easily to humans?
No, it does not spread easily among humans. Generally, if humans come in contact with a bird that is infected (alive or dead) with H5N1, they may also get bird flu. According to the WHO, bird flu usually does not spread from one person to another. There have also been no cases where people have had bird flu by eating well-cooked chicken or its eggs. These viruses cannot tolerate hot temperatures, so they die when cooked.
Then why are people afraid of bird flu?
H5N1 is a serious and deadly virus, due to which 6 out of 10 humans have died so far. If the virus mutates and changes its size and captures a human cell and spreads easily from person to person, it can also take the form of an epidemic. Flu viruses are easily mutated, as they contain a fragmented genome. All the flu we know so far, such as seasonal flu and corona virus, started mutating from birds to humans.
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Bird flu in india
India has not had a single case of bird flu in humans so far. According to an animal department report, from 2006 to 2015, 25 cases of H5N1 bird flu were detected in poultry in 15 states. Let us tell you that in 2006, for the first time in the country, Maharashtra and Gujarat saw cases of bird flu. It has also been seen in crows.
