Bird flu is caused by a virus, which normally does not affect human being and is destroyed at 70 degree centigrade or more. The virus mostly affects domestic pets and wild bird including, chicken, ducks, fowls, and sea fowls. This was said by speakers, including Executive District Officer (EDO- Health) Sukkur, Dr Altaf Shaikh, at a seminar here, a press release said on Thursday.
They said that the virus is found in migratory birds coming from colder areas to hot waters. Adding that death ratio from virus in birds is 100 per cent and in human beings at 55 per cent and infected birds stop taking feed and water and parts of their body swell and bleed resulting in deaths.
They said the virus spreads from one bird to another through saliva from mouth and nose. They said the virus also spreads in human beings through saliva and mouth with symptoms like temperature, cough, muscular pain, sore throat and pneumonia.
They advised the people to immediately consult doctors if such symptoms are noted. The speakers urged the people concerned with poultry and other birds business to wear protective clothing at work place and take precautions while shifting birds from one place to oother. They added the infected birds should be killed and buried immediately.
They advised vaccination of poultry birds and domestic pets and taking precautionary measures during cooking and asked to cook chicken and eggs at 70 degrees centigrade and avoid taking half fried eggs. The seminar was aimed at training paramedical staff and health workers. More than 200 paramedics and health workers attended the seminar.