• Vehicle checking intensified at Bavali Check-Post in H.D. Kote-Kerala border
• Animal Husbandry Dept. team creating awareness among poultry farmers

Mysuru: Following bird flu scare across the State, the Health and Animal Husbandry Department officials of Mysuru district are on high alert and are taking preventive steps to control the spread of the disease though no cases have been reported in the district so far.

Meanwhile, officials of the district Health and Animal Husbandry Departments are conducting checking of vehicles transporting poultry at Bavali Check-Post in H.D. Kote bordering Karnataka and Kerala.

The Animal Husbandry Department has constituted a team, which is creating awareness at poultry farms and visiting the houses of farmers and villages and distributing handbills on precautions to be taken.

Villagers and poultry farm owners are asked to inform the Health and Animal Husbandry Departments if they find any suspicious bird death. Workers of poultry farms and meat storage units have been asked to take precautions as they are more prone to catch the disease besides asking poultry transporting vehicle owners to spray disinfectants and clean the vehicles.

Bird flu symptoms: Signs and symptoms in human beings may include eye redness (conjunctivitis), mild flu-like upper respiratory symptoms, pneumonia requiring hospitalisation, fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuff nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue and shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing. Less common signs and symptoms include diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting or seizures.

In chicken, symptoms often include respiratory (gasping) and digestive (extreme diarrhoea) signs followed by rapid death. Chicken may have swelling around the head, neck and eyes. The heads and legs may also have purple discolouration.

How bird flu spreads: Infected birds can shed avian influenza A Viruses in their saliva, nasal secretions and faeces. Susceptible birds become infected when they have contact with the virus. They also can become infected through contact with surfaces that are contaminated with virus from infected birds.

How bird flu spreads to humans: Bird flu is spread by close contact with an infected bird (dead or alive). This includes touching infected birds, touching the droppings and consuming infected poultry.

Things to do to prevent contracting bird flu: Wash your hands often with warm water and soap, especially before and after handling raw poultry. Use different utensils for cooked and raw meat. Make sure meat is cooked until steaming hot. Avoid contact with infected birds and poultry.