Bird flu has been on the rise across the United States as 27 cases of avian influenza A(H5) have been reported in the country since April 2024. Now four workers at an egg farm in Southeast Washington's Franklin County have been found positive with the avian influenza after exposure to infected poultry , the state's health officials said. Five other states have identified human infections with the virus amid a deluge of cases found in poultry, dairy cattle, and wildlife. About 800,000 birds were euthanized after test results on October 15 showed they were infected with avian influenza.
According to NHS UK, bird flu typically spreads in humans when you touch an infected bird, their droppings or bedding, kill or prepare an infected poultry for cooking.
Symptoms of bird flu include high temperature, chills, body pain, cough and cold, and difficulty in breathing. It is also common to experience gastronomical symptoms like diarrhea, stomach pain, sickness, chest pain, nose and gum bleeding, and conjunctivitis.
Individuals positive with bird flu are displaying mild symptoms and are being treated with antiviral medication. Their test samples were shared with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation and analysis of the virus.
“Washington has monitored the spread of H5N1 closely since it was first detected in poultry in the state in 2022, and our state is prepared with the knowledge, relationships, and tools to minimize its impacts on our community,” Washington Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah said in the news release.
Food guidelines amid bird flu outbreak
Chicken and eggs are nutritious staples in many diets, but amid the bird flu outbreak it's important to handle them with care. While pasteurization and cooking them at high temperature can curb the threat, it is also important to handle them properly while buying and storing them.
First and foremost, one should avoid drinking raw milk and make sure to pasteurize it as doing so can kill avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses. Pasteurised milk products are safe to consume amid the outbreak and even otherwise.
How to eat chicken safely
It is important to handle chicken meat carefully when shopping, transporting it home and storing it in the kitchen. Meat juice can spill over and contaminate other food items so it's important to store it properly. Consider using a cool bag when transporting meat, and refrigerate or freeze the meat within two hours of buying.
Avoid washing your chicken before cooking to prevent the spread of disease-causing microbes around the kitchen.
Most importantly, it is crucial to cook your chicken thoroughly as viruses cannot survive cooking temperatures.
Tips to consume eggs safely
Flu viruses can infect chicken eggs by entering through the eggshell as they are smaller (100 nanometres) than the pores in eggshells (at least 200 nm). So viruses could enter eggs and be protected from cleaning procedures designed to remove microbes from the egg surface.
Therefore, it is important to cook eggs to ensure safe consumption.
The US Food and Drug Administration recommends cooking poultry, eggs and other animal products to the proper temperature and preventing cross-contamination between raw and cooked food.
According to NHS UK, bird flu typically spreads in humans when you touch an infected bird, their droppings or bedding, kill or prepare an infected poultry for cooking.
Symptoms of bird flu include high temperature, chills, body pain, cough and cold, and difficulty in breathing. It is also common to experience gastronomical symptoms like diarrhea, stomach pain, sickness, chest pain, nose and gum bleeding, and conjunctivitis.
Individuals positive with bird flu are displaying mild symptoms and are being treated with antiviral medication. Their test samples were shared with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation and analysis of the virus.
“Washington has monitored the spread of H5N1 closely since it was first detected in poultry in the state in 2022, and our state is prepared with the knowledge, relationships, and tools to minimize its impacts on our community,” Washington Secretary of Health Dr. Umair Shah said in the news release.
Food guidelines amid bird flu outbreak
Chicken and eggs are nutritious staples in many diets, but amid the bird flu outbreak it's important to handle them with care. While pasteurization and cooking them at high temperature can curb the threat, it is also important to handle them properly while buying and storing them.
First and foremost, one should avoid drinking raw milk and make sure to pasteurize it as doing so can kill avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses. Pasteurised milk products are safe to consume amid the outbreak and even otherwise.
How to eat chicken safely
It is important to handle chicken meat carefully when shopping, transporting it home and storing it in the kitchen. Meat juice can spill over and contaminate other food items so it's important to store it properly. Consider using a cool bag when transporting meat, and refrigerate or freeze the meat within two hours of buying.
Avoid washing your chicken before cooking to prevent the spread of disease-causing microbes around the kitchen.
Most importantly, it is crucial to cook your chicken thoroughly as viruses cannot survive cooking temperatures.
Tips to consume eggs safely
Flu viruses can infect chicken eggs by entering through the eggshell as they are smaller (100 nanometres) than the pores in eggshells (at least 200 nm). So viruses could enter eggs and be protected from cleaning procedures designed to remove microbes from the egg surface.
Therefore, it is important to cook eggs to ensure safe consumption.
The US Food and Drug Administration recommends cooking poultry, eggs and other animal products to the proper temperature and preventing cross-contamination between raw and cooked food.
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