Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Mar 8: Bird flu (Avian Influenza) has been detected in a poultry farm and nursery of Kozhikode in Kerala. The disease generally spreads from bird to bird and in very rare cases affects human beings.

Dakshina Kannada district health department has asked the public to avoid touching droppings or waste of birds. In a statement on this issue, district vector-borne disease control officer Dr Naveenchandra Kulal said, "There is no bird flu scare in Dakshina Kannada. However, our district hospitals will be advised to take precautionary measures as this has been reported in the neighbouring state of Kerala. All actions are in place already to prevent the spread of coronavirus."

Bird flu will not affect a person who eats chicken. However, the meat needs to be boiled thoroughly before consumption. It is better not to eat chicken that has died on its own without culling. If the droppings or remains of the dead bird come in contact with human beings, then there is a chance of the virus entering the body. In addition, there is a possibility of the infection getting into human beings from any fluid that oozes from the nose, eyes and mouth of the affected bird.

Labourers who work in poultry farms, people who reside in slums and those who swim in waterbodies, in which waste of bird is discarded, are most likely to get affected with bird flu. People, whose immunity is low should stay away from these places or people.

High fever, cought, head ache, throat pain, dysentery and breathing problems are the symptoms of bird flu. The pain and fever increases after three days. When these symptoms occur doctor's advise should be sought. As normal fever is also prevailing in some places, all fever should not be considered as bird flu.

DHO said, "It is not possible to say why contagious diseases are getting spread now. The change in environment may also be one of the reasons. There is no need for people to panic."