Eat poultry product cooked at high temperature: Delhi government
(Sourced from PTI)
The Delhi Health Department on Wednesday issued an advisory in view of bird flu cases in the city, asking people not to panic and follow a set of dos and don'ts, including not consuming half-cooked chicken, half-boiled or half-fried eggs. Several ducks at Sanjay Lake and a large number of crows across various city parks were found dead last week.
The revenue department has deployed teams of volunteers at the city's borders to prevent unauthorized entry of livestock and canned and processed chicken from outside. The advisory issued by the Directorate General of Health Services of Delhi stated, "H5N8 is highly pathogenic in birds but the pathogenicity in humans, as well as the likelihood of human infection with avian influenza (AH5N8) virus, is low."
"Avoid contact and prevent exposure to sick-looking sluggish chicken. Avoid direct contact with bird secretions and droppings," the advisory states, adding that bowls used for feeding birds, and their cages should be washed properly. All slaughter waste must be disposed of properly, the DGHS authorities said. The advisory asked people to eat poultry products cooked at 70 degree Celsius for 30 minutes.
"Do not keep raw poultry meat near cooked meat. Wash hands frequently at the time of handling raw poultry products. Take due care of personal hygiene and maintain cleanliness in surroundings," the advisory further cautioned. The authorities have also closed the Ghazipur poultry market after bird flu was confirmed in the national capital.
After reports of over 50 bird deaths were received on the Delhi government's Animal Husbandry unit's helpline, 18 samples from different parts of the city were sent for avian flu testing on Tuesday. Samples of crows and ducks confirmed bird flu cases on Monday, prompting the city government to ban the sale of processed and packaged chicken brought from outside the city.
The advisory also cautioned people not to touch dead birds with naked hands. If any bird is found dead, the control room should be informed at phone number 23890318.
