Cook eggs, meat fully: Union Minister amid bird flu scare

New Delhi: Amid bird flu (avian influenza) outbreak in several states, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and  Dairying Giriraj Singh on Wednesday offered some advise to to people fearing about the infection affecting the humans. Allaying all such apprehensions, Giriraj Singh there is no need to panic over reports of bird flu outbreak. 

The minister advised people to cook meat and eggs fully. "Reports have come from some states about migratory birds dying from bird flu. Make sure that you cook meat and eggs well. There is no need to panic. We have alerted the states and all possible help is being provided," Singh tweeted in Hindi.

Thousands of birds have died in the last few days in states like Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala due to avian influenza. Kerala and Tamil Nadu have even ordered culling of lakhs of poultry due to the outbreak.

कुछ जगहों पर बर्ड फ़्लू से ज़्यादातर प्रवासी और जंगली पक्षियों के मरने की रिपोर्ट आयी है।मीट और अंडे को पूरी तरह पका कर खाएँ। घबराने की कोई बात नहीं है। राज्यों को सतर्क कर हर सम्भव मदद की जा रही है।

— Shandilya Giriraj Singh (@girirajsinghbjp) January 6, 2021

Meanwhile, the government has set up a control room (Telephone no. 011-23382354) to strategies coordinate and facilitate state governments with regard to outbreak management, disease control and containment.

About Bird Flu or Avian Influenza

Avian Influenza (AI) viruses have been circulating worldwide for centuries with four known major outbreaks recorded in the last century. India notified the first outbreak of avian influenza in 2006. Infection in humans is not yet reported in India though the disease is zoonotic. There is no direct evidence that AI viruses can be transmitted to humans via the consumption of contaminated poultry products. 

In India, the disease spreads mainly by migratory birds coming into India during winter months - from September – October to February – March.