You might have seen and heard some news reports regarding the recent bird flu outbreak in Pampanga. Bird flu can be a scary disease, as some strains can infect humans as well as birds. But is this recent outbreak a cause for worry?
The infection came from migratory and possibly smuggled birds
According to a statement by Malacañang, the strain of bird flu that has affected poultry chickens in Pampanga isn't harmful to humans.
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said, "Our first concern is the safety of our consumers and citizens; so far, there is no indication that this strain of avian flu is harmful to humans, but we will continue to validate this and take all precautions needed."
Regardless, a quarantine was enacted a quarantine as well as culled over 18,000 birds in order to stem the flow of the virus.
The Department of Agriculture believes that the virus might have come from ducks that were smuggled from China or from migratory birds which then infected the local population of poultry.
Is it safe to eat chicken?
The Department of Agriculture has made it clear that despite the bird flu outbreak, there's no reason for the general public to panic or to avoid the consumption of chickens.
The strain of bird flu that has infected over 200,000 chickens in Pampanga is not a strain that is harmful to humans, so there should be no cause for concern when it comes to humans being infected. The strain that has the potential to infect humans is the H5N1 strain of bird flu, but the Department of Health is also monitoring any possible cause of human infection just to be sure.
Additionally, it's very important to cook chicken thoroughly, in order to ensure that any viruses and bacteria that's present in the meat will be killed. It's also important to use different chopping boards and knives when preparing different types of meat and vegetables in order to avoid cross-contamination.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
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