How does bird flu spread?

In the five years after the disease was found in humans, health officials have battled multiple outbreaks. However, one good piece of news is that the virus doesn’t infect humans very easily. Most bird flu infections are transmitted between birds and only spread to humans who have close contact with the animals.

What symptoms does the bird flu cause?

The symptoms of bird flu in humans are similar to those of regular influenza and include:

  • fever.
  • sore throat.
  • cough.
  • headache.
  • aching muscles.

Where is the bird flu outbreak?

Over the weekend, federal agriculture officials reported the first highly pathogenic avian flu outbreaks in Alaska and Oklahoma, raising the number of affected states to 32.

Can you get bird flu from chickens?

Bird flu virus can be passed through bird droppings and saliva on surfaces such as cages, tractors, and other farm equipment. Most people don’t need to worry about getting sick with bird flu virus. You cannot get bird flu from eating fully cooked chicken, turkey, or duck, because heat kills the virus.

Can humans get bird flu from eggs?

You can’t catch bird flu through eating fully cooked poultry or eggs, even in areas with an outbreak of bird flu.

How long does bird flu live on surfaces?

On the eve of the 2010-11 influenza flu season, scientists and engineers have identified the environmental conditions and surfaces that could enable a highly pathogenic (H5N1) bird flu virus to survive for prolonged periods of time — at least two weeks and up to two months.

Can you catch bird flu from raw eggs?

You can check health advice for the country you’re visiting on the TravelHealthPro website. You can’t catch bird flu through eating fully cooked poultry or eggs, even in areas with an outbreak of bird flu.

Is there a bird flu outbreak in 2022?

CDC has been monitoring for illness among people exposed to H5N1 virus-infected birds since these outbreaks were detected in U.S. wild birds and poultry in late 2021 and into 2022.

Can boiled eggs cause bird flu?

The regulator also said the World Health Organization has stated it is safe to eat poultry meat and eggs and that there is no epidemiological data to suggest the disease can be transmitted to humans through cooked food.

Is there a bird flu vaccine?

There is currently no vaccine available to the public. The government does have a supply of a vaccine for one type of H5N1 bird flu virus and could distribute it if there was an outbreak that spread easily from person to person.

How many hens have been killed by bird flu in Iowa?

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Bird flu has infected two more farms in Iowa, forcing the killing of 5.3 million hens and 88,000 turkeys, officials said Friday.

How many cases of avian flu have been confirmed in Iowa?

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship said that as of March 23, 2022, there had been five confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the state.

Which states have been hit hardest by bird flu?

The smallest affected flock so far was a mix of six backyard birds in southern Kansas. Iowa was also the hardest-hit state in the deadly bird flu outbreak of 2015, when its birds accounted for about two-thirds of the nearly 50 million total. The virus was present in Iowa for about two months that year.

Is bird flu a public health concern?

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the recent bird flu detections do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States.