In Photos: Should You Be Worried About the Bird Flu Outbreak?

Why is the current bird flu outbreak so concerning? Can humans get bird flu? Here's what to know

Bird flu: why is it making the news? can humans get it?

(Photo: iStock)

Avian influenza, or bird flu is caused by Influenza A viruses. The most common strain of the virus is H5N1.

Bird flu has been around for centuries, but it's making news now because the current outbreak is unlike the ones before.

The current outbreak of bird flu has been the largest one in history - lasting for over a year. According to experts, unlike past years, the strain that's dominant now (H5N1) is more transmissible, leading to devastating results.

So far, millions of birds have been culled, leading to losses worth hundred of millions.

A bird flu outbreak reported at a mink farm in Spain in February further sparked worries among experts about the possibility of more widespread infections among mammals.

This was followed by an incident of mass death of sea lions in Peru that were found to be infected by avian flu. This is concerning because it means the virus could be spreading from mammal to mammal as well.

The outbreak from H5N1 has been reported in several countries including the US, China and parts of Europe. There are no reports of an outbreak in India yet.

Avian influenza is mainly spread by direct contact between infected birds and healthy birds.

According to the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Avian influenza viruses do not usually infect people, but it has happened in rare cases. Most cases of infection in people have been linked to direct contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces.

According to the UK National Health Services (UK NHS), symptoms of bird flu include, fever with shivers, body ache, headache, and upper respiratory symptoms like cough, runny nose, sore throat, and  shortness of breath. Some people may also have stomach pain, diarrhoea, chest pain, and conjunctivitis.

You won't be infected from consuming poultry as long as it's cooked well. Experts advise cooking poultry in over 70^o Degrees heat, and to make sure there are no raw spots before consuming.

Wash your hands frequently, especially before and after handling food, in particular raw poultry.

The current outbreak of avian influenza, or bird flu caused by the H5N1 virus in several countries including the US, China, and parts of Europe, has put health authorities on alert.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that although the outbreak doesn't pose an immediate threat to humans, it is being 'closely monitored'.

In the meantime, experts warn that this current outbreak can prove to be disruptive, and could hamper food supply in certain areas.

Large scale culling of infected and suspected birds has led to heavy losses running in the millions, with the price of poultry and eggs shooting up in countries like the US.