8 Key Things You Should Know About Bird Flu

[Matino]

With the announcement that the Bird Flu Virus has already hit 7 states in Nigeria, it is important that we get ourselves updated with all the necessary information about the virus. After the Ebola outbreak some months ago which was nipped in the bud, many are already nursing the apprehension of a similar outbreak. There are many things about the virus to be known but here are the 10 most important things that you should know in other to protect yourself.

• While there have been some very few reported cases of human to human transmission of the virus worldwide, Bird Flu is known to be majorly transmitted when humans come into close contact with infected birds and bird droppings. Human to human transmission can only be possible through very close contact with an infected person such as the case where a nursing mother got infected while caring for her sick infected child.

• The people at the highest risk of getting infected are those handling poultry birds including those that clean bird cages, feed, slaughter or any other person whose job requires close contact with the poultry birds.

• The symptoms of Bird Flu include fever, sore throat, cough, headache, muscle aches. Of course, it sounds like the symptoms of Ebola, but the truth is that many diseases present in this same way including malaria and the common flu. It should, however, be a thing of concern if you are resident in affected areas and have such symptoms. You should immediately report to the nearest health centre.

• Bird Flu has a high mortality rate. It has killed as much as 60% of the people who are infected since it was first discovered.

• The migratory waterfowls are known to be the carriers of the virus. They are believed to transmit it to poultry birds. These wild birds, however, do not get sick even though they carry the disease. Poultry birds, on the other hand, can die within 48 hours of getting infected

• Those who run poultry farms need to be very vigilant and report any case of unusual bird deaths so that appropriate actions will be taken to forestall any further spread.

• By simply cooking poultry meat and properly boiling poultry eggs, the infection always dies. Therefore, there is no reason to shy away from eating poultry meat as Nigerians have been known to properly cooking their meat. However, if you don’t, now is the time to start.

• The drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza, have been known to work in curing the infection. However, there is no 100% guarantee that they will always do so. Early diagnosis and treatment are key.

Photo credit: www.forbesindia.com