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Bird flu: Avoid undercooked meat, eggs: Experts

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New Delhi, Jan 06: Several states from North, West and South India are witnessing a sporadic rise in the cases of Avian Influenza (bird flu). States like Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala have reported close to 25,000 deaths predominantly of ducks, crows and migratory birds.


The news has started to trigger panic among the public. The people, still fear-struck with the Covid-19 infection, are afraid that the bird flu, which is also a viral disease, may turn into an epidemic. However, the health experts have negated such a possibility and advised the public to take precaution and not panic.

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Human-to-human transmission


The doctors said that the risk of human-to-human transmission of the H5N1 virus that causes the bird flu is very rare unless one works in proximity with the infected species of birds.


‘People who work closely with poultry are at high risk of getting the infection. Otherwise, human to human transmission of the H5N1 virus is very rare. Hence there is no need to panic,’ Dr. Harshal R. Salve, Associate Professor at Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) told IANS.

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‘The bird flu is detected in sick birds and has the possibility to spread among humans only with those handling poultry or infected birds,’ said Dr. Rajeev Gupta, Director- Internal Medicine, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Shalimar Bagh (Delhi).


Dr. Upali Nanda, Head, Preventive Health & Consultant-Medicine, Medeor Hospital Qutab Institutional Area (Delhi), also said that human-to-human transmission of the Avian Influenza is very unusual.


Public has started to ditch eggs and chicken meat

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Meanwhile, the public has started to ditch eggs and chicken meat in fear that it might carry the H5N1 virus and could infect the ones who would consume it. While there is no connection between the spread of Avian Influenza and consumption of eggs, the doctors suggested ditching undercooked poultry products and meat for a while to allay the fear.


‘There is no evidence available that suggests the spread of bird flu through eating meat or eggs. Nonetheless, eating raw meat and eggs should be avoided in the affected region till the incidents come down,’ advised Dr. Salve.


He goes on to add that the public should not let their guards down and continue to follow the safe and hygienic practices adopted amid the pandemic to steer clear from any possibility of encountering the H5N1 virus.

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Dr. Nanda said that it is anyway not advised to eat semi-cooked meat and eggs. ‘People can also take extra precaution besides properly cooking the meat and poultry,’ she added.


Other precautionary measures


‘Wash your hands with warm water and soap, especially before and after handling the raw poultry and eggs. Use different utensils for cooking raw meat and make sure meat is cooked properly until steaming hot. Avoid direct contact with live and poultry birds,’ Dr Nanda advised.

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She also suggested avoiding visiting live animal markets or poultry farms for now. ‘If need be, wear a mask and gloves all the time. Also, do not go near or touch bird droppings or sick and dead birds,’ Dr. Nanda added.


The bird flu is not yet detected in the poultry birds. The National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases, where samples of animals sent across India for detection of diseases, told IANS that it has not found the presence of the H5N1 virus in the poultry birds yet.


The president of Ghazipur Mandi, biggest poultry market in the national capital, also informed IANS that no incidence of the bird flu among chicken meat has been reported in the market as yet.

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Schools shut, curbs imposed after two die of Nipah virus in Kerela

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Some schools shut and curbs imposed on public gathering in Kerala after two people died of Nipah, a virus from bats or pigs that causes deadly fever.

Also Read: Youth killed another injured in Srinagar road accident

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The virus has no vaccine and a fatality rate ranging from 40 to 75 percent, according to the World Health Organization.

Symptoms include intense fever, vomiting and a respiratory infection, but severe cases can involve seizures and encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain, and result in a coma.

The Nipah virus strain seen in the state was the Bangladesh variant that spreads from human to human and has a high mortality rate, though it is less infectious, the government said. “People living in forest areas have to take the highest precautions,” George had said, adding that the latest case of the Nipah virus originated within five kilometres of a jungle area.

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In the wake of the rising Nipah virus cases, neighbouring Tamil Nadu state announced that travellers coming from Kerala would be subjected to medical tests and those with flu symptoms would be isolated.

700 people including 153 health workers who came in contact with those infected are under observation, health officials said.

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Doctors remove 13 hairpins, 5 safety pins, 5 razor blades from man’s stomach

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A group of talented medical professionals from a private hospital in Puducherry saved a 20-year-old man’s life by successfully removing 13 hairpins, 5 safety pins, and 5 razor blades from his stomach via an endoscopic technique.

The young man was hospitalised with disturbing symptoms, including intense abdominal pain, blood vomiting, and strange bowel motions, according to the experts at the Gastroenterology and Medical Centre (GEM) Hospital. After further inspection, it was discovered that he had 13 hairpins, 5 safety pins, and 5 razor blades in his stomach.

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“He has been dealing with psychiatric issues since childhood. Initially, he denied swallowing any foreign objects. However, during the endoscopic procedure, we discovered a hardened mass in his stomach. This collection of objects is referred to as a ‘foreign body bezoar,’ which could potentially lead to intestinal blockages and perforations,” explained Dr. K Sasikumar, a surgical gastroenterologist who led the medical team, as pee local media reports.

Facing this intricate situation, the team decided to opt for an endoscopic procedure instead of open surgery. Dr. K Sugumaran, another member of the team, stated, “The patient’s parents were also inclined towards avoiding open surgery. We proposed inserting a tube through the mouth to reach the stomach and safely remove these sharp objects. It was a challenging procedure given the nature of the objects.”

The patient was admitted to the hospital on August 7, and the procedure, lasting approximately two hours, took place on August 8. Fortunately, the patient responded positively to the treatment, and he was discharged the following day, on August 9. He even resumed a regular oral diet on the very same evening, as confirmed by Dr. K Sasikumar.

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The dedicated medical team responsible for this extraordinary accomplishment included medical gastroenterologist Dr. G Rajesh and anesthesiologist Dr. Ranjith. Dr. C Palanivelu, Chairman of GEM Hospitals, praised the team for their outstanding efforts in saving the young man’s life.

Doctors suspect that the patient consumed these sharp objects after mixing them with food. The condition of the patient is stable and he has been discharged from hospital.

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Jaundice outbreak in Budgam’s Khansahib: Locals blame poor water quality as one dies, 38 test positive

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The locals have blamed poor water quality for the jaundice outbreak in the Riyar area of Khansahib block in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

Also Read: Pizza date turns tragic as man falls to death from a terrace while hiding from GF’s father

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The locals told that the Jal Shakti Department has failed to provide safe drinking water in the village, which has led to the outbreak of jaundice and claimed the life of a minor.

“The water is polluted and infected as the water tank hasn’t been cleaned for decades,” they alleged.

The people have requested the authorities to take serious note of the “life-threatening” issue.

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A health official told that so far, 38 jaundice cases have been reported in the area and among them one person has died while the condition of others is stable.

He said that a 10-year-old boy identified as Abid, son of Abdul Salam from Riyar village of Khansahib, who was tested positive for jaundice following a jaundice outbreak, triggered by the supply of contaminated water.

Dr Mir Mushtaq, spokesperson of the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK) told that “untiring” efforts are being made at Raiyar to curb jaundice through surveillance and rapid response teams of block Khansahib.

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Simultaneously, the paediatric patients have been seen by the Pediatrician at SDH, Khansahib and blood tests have been conducted for detecting the disease, he said, adding that the screening process is on and thousands of people have been screened so far in the area.

“The situation is under control,” the DHSK spokesperson said.

Already, around 2,000 people have been screened among which 38 have been reported positive, he said, adding that no positive case was reported in the last three days.

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“The ASHA workers of the concerned areas along with health workers have been distributing chlorine tablets and ORS packets among the inhabitants at door steps while field staff are continuously educating the people to take safe drinking water and also demonstrating the steps of hand washing to the people of this area,” Mushtaq said. KNO

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