Bird flu outbreak: How safe is it to eat chicken and eggs

The recent bird flu outbreak has raised safety concerns in the country with people being confused about whether to consume the poultry or not

Hyderabad: The recent bird flu outbreak has raised safety concerns in the country with people being confused about whether to consume the poultry or not. The cases of the H5N1 avian influenza are on the rise in States such as Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra.

Health officials from these States are on high alert and have been taking all the preventative measures to stop the virus from spreading further. Thousands of infected chickens have been culled and eggs were destroyed till now.

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Telangana government has banned the transport and sale of poultry products brought from Andhra Pradesh as the cases were initially recorded from there.

With the outbreak concerns, people are avoiding the consumption of the poultry. With this the poultry industries in the States are facing crisis. The poultry bodies in Telangana have been advertising that there is no health risk in consuming eggs and chicken.

But, what is the truth, can we consume chicken and eggs? Or do they possess any risk of infection?

What experts say?

According to experts, it is absolutely safe to consume poultry if it is fully cooked on a high flame. In case of eggs, they should be boiled at a minimum of 175 degrees Fahrenheit or 80 degrees Celsius to get rid of any possible contaminations. Hard boiled and fried eggs are the best and safest options for consumption, whereas runny or half boiled should be avoided.

It goes same for the chicken as well. It should be cooked at a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or 75 degrees Celsius to kill any potential virus present in it. To further reduce the risk of contamination, one should handle the poultry separately and avoid them from getting in contact with other cooking essentials. After handling the poultry, it will be better if surroundings are cleaned and the person should wash his or her hands thoroughly with soap and water.

How the virus spreads?

Bird flu spreads to humans only when they get directly in contact with the infected birds. People who work closely with poultry are at a higher risk of exposure with the virus. Health expert say there is no need to worry about the virus unless you come into direct contact with the contaminated areas or affected birds.

Being careless may also prove costly for humans. If affected, one can confirm the virus with few symptoms, which range from high fever, cough, sore throat, muscle pain, difficulty in breathing and in severe cases may lead to pneumonia. The symptoms usually appear within 2 to 10 days of exposure to the infected bird.