US CDC issues advisory for bird flu crisis in country. Here’s look at the precautions – WION

The United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday (Apr 5) issued a health alert for the ongoing bird flu crisis in the country. In the advisory, the CDC talked about a recent case of a Texas farm workertesting positive for H5N1 bird flu. "The virus obtained from this person is nearly identical to what has been found in cows and birds in Texas," the CDC said.

The CDC added that there was no sign of person-to-person spread of the virus at this time.

"At this time, CDC believes that the overall risk to the general public posed by this virus remains low," it added.

The CDC further said that the infected farm workerin Texas had exposure to presumably infected cows. The patient reported eye redness, or conjunctivitis, as their only symptom and is recovering. "The patient was told to stay at home away from others and was treated with a flu antiviral drug," the health body added.

Highlighting that the current risk to the public remained low, people with close or long unprotected exposures to infected birds or other animals, or environments contaminated by infected birds or other animals, are at greater risk of infection.

The CDC issued a few precautions:

>People should avoid unprotected exposure to sick or dead animals, including wild birds, poultry, other domesticated birds, and other wild or domesticated animals including cows.

>People should avoid unprotected exposures to animal poop, bedding (litter), raw milk, or materials that have been touched by, or close to, birds or other animals with suspected or confirmed H5N1 bird flu.

>The CDC said that people should not prepare or consume uncooked or undercooked food or related uncooked food products, such as unpasteurized (raw) milk, or raw cheeses, from animals with suspected infection.

>Amid concerns about how safe drinking commercial milk is, the CDC said on Friday that it is safe to drink such milk as it is pasteurised before entering the market. Pasteurisation kills bacteria and viruses, like influenza viruses, in milk, it added.

>It is also safe to eat properly handled and cooked poultry.

The CDC also mentioned some recommendations for farmers and livestock owners. It said that such people should avoid unprotected direct physical contact or close exposure with sick or dead birds or other animals, carcasses, faeces, milk, or litter from sick birds or other animals potentially infected or confirmed to be infected with the virus.

"Farmers, workers, and responders should wear recommended PPE such as an N95 filtering facepiece respirator, eye protection, and gloves, and perform thorough hand washing after contact," it added.

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US CDC issues advisory for bird flu crisis in country. Here's look at the precautions - WION