Bird Flu

							    The

Bird Flu
  Situation
Facts about
Bird Flu
            What is Bird Flu?
 A highly contagious poultry disease
  caused by a virus
 Can infect a variety of other birds
 Domestic poultry such as
  chickens and turkeys
  most susceptible
   How do humans get infected?
 Through close contact with infected birds
  e.g. breathing in particles from their droppings
 Rare for bird flu to infect humans
 No evidence of human-to-
  human transmission to date
  according to WHO
What are the symptoms of bird flu
           in humans?
 Fever, cough, muscle ache, runny nose,
  and sore throat
 Some may get eye infections
  and have difficulty breathing
 Pneumonia or other
  complications may occur
  at a later stage
         Can bird flu be cured?
 Tamiflu, an anti-viral drug, appears to be
  effective in treating bird flu
 Further testing being done
  to confirm effectiveness
  Past cases of Bird Flu infecting
             humans
Hong Kong (1997)
 H5N1 virus infected both chickens and humans
 First time an avian influenza virus found to
  transmit directly from birds to humans
 18 people hospitalised and 6 died
 1.5 million chickens killed
 Virus spread primarily from birds to humans; rare
  person-to-person infection noted
  Past cases of Bird Flu infecting
             humans
Netherlands (2003)
 H7N7 virus infections among poultry workers
  and their families in the Netherlands during an
  outbreak of avian flu among poultry
 More than 80 cases of H7N7 illness reported
  and 1 patient died
        Bird Flu Outbreak 2004
 In birds: Outbreaks of H5N1 virus confirmed
  among poultry in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong
  (in a single peregrine falcon), Indonesia, Japan,
  Laos, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam (as
  at 4 Feb 2004)
 In people: Cases of H5N1 infection in Vietnam
  and Thailand. Deaths have been reported.
The Situation in
Singapore
          Should I be alarmed?
 Bird flu is NOT a significant public health
  threat to Singapore
 There are few poultry farms in Singapore,
  and the slaughter of poultry is not carried
  out in wet markets
         What has been done?
 Imports of live poultry and birds, poultry meat
  and eggs from bird flu-affected countries banned
 Stepped-up inspection and testing of imported
  eggs and poultry at points of entry
 Stepped-up checks on
  local poultry farms
  and slaughterhouses
         What has been done?
 Farms required to implement biosecurity
  measures e.g. bird-proofing poultry houses,
  disinfecting vehicles
 Farm and slaughterhouse employees briefed
  on how to recognise signs of bird flu, and
  required to report unusual deaths
  or suspicion of the disease
 Farms closed to visitors
Are we prepared for an outbreak?
 Within an hour of the first bird flu case being
  detected, AVA and related agencies will be
  mobilised to control the situation
 All hospitals and doctors advised to be on alert
 Suspected cases will be sent to Tan Tock Seng
  Hospital for assessment, and to Communicable
  Diseases Centre 2 for isolation if necessary
                   Culling plans
 Will start culling all birds in local farms as soon as
  clinical signs of bird flu appear with positive test results
 All farms will be “sealed up” during culling
 Eggs produced will be destroyed
 Ex-gratia payment will be made to owners of the farms
  for the poultry culled
 Measures necessary to eradicate disease, safeguard
  public health and maintain public confidence
Eating
chickens
and other poultry
  Is it safe to eat chickens, eggs,
    and other poultry products?

 The poultry and eggs available
  in the market are safe to eat
 No evidence that you can get
  bird flu by eating chicken, eggs
  and other poultry
          What about canned
          poultry products?
 Canned poultry products such as essence of
  chicken are also safe to eat
 All canned products
  undergo a heat treatment
  process that effectively
  destroys any viruses
                  Food Supply
 With more countries affected by bird flu, prices
  may go up temporarily
 Shortfall could be met by:
   - Alternative sources
   - Buffer stocks of frozen poultry meat
   - Liquid and powdered eggs
       Tips for cooking poultry
 Separate raw food from cooked food
 Wash your hands before and after preparing
  food
 Cook poultry meat thoroughly
 Avoid eating raw or
  half-boiled eggs or
  semi-cooked meat
Live Birds
in Singapore
      Can other birds spread the
              disease?
 Crows, mynahs and pigeons in Singapore are not known
  to carry bird flu.
 Migratory birds can be
  carriers.
 AVA, NParks and NEA
  conduct regular checks
  on birds in Singapore.
 So far, no flu viruses
  have been detected
  Is it safe to visit the Jurong Bird
          Park and the Zoo?
 Singapore is free from bird flu
 It is safe to go to places where
  birds can be found
  e.g. Sungei Buloh,
  Jurong Bird Park or the Zoo
 Is it safe to keep birds or poultry
               as pets?
 All imported live birds monitored by AVA for
  infectious diseases
 Risk of pet birds getting infected low
 Precaution: Keep birds in
  enclosure so that they do not
  come into contact with wild birds
 Wash your hands thoroughly
  with soap after handling your pets
What are the signs of infection?
 Sudden death
 Lack of energy and appetite
 Swelling of head, eyelids,
  comb, wattles and legs
 Purple discolouration of the
  wattles and combs
 Nasal discharge
 Coughing and sneezing
 Diarrhoea
 Who can help if I decided to give
  up my pet birds or chickens?
 AVA’s Centre for Animal
  Welfare and Control can help
  put down your pets humanely
 Hotline Number: 1800-476 1600
Travelling
Overseas
   Is it safe to visit countries with
           cases of bird flu?
 WHO has not advised any travel
  restrictions so far
 No quarantined when you return
 When visiting affected countries,
  avoid farms and live poultry and
  birds, and adopt good hygiene
  practices
  Should I get vaccinated against
     influenza before I travel?
 MOH recommendation:
   Children aged 6 months and older should
    be vaccinated if travelling to temperate
    countries in the Northern Hemisphere
   Persons likely to be
    exposed to infected
    chickens or farms
    should also
    be vaccinated
  Should I get vaccinated against
     influenza before I travel?
 Purpose of vaccination
  is to avoid risk of people
  being infected by
  bird and human
  virus at the
  same time
   What should I do if I suspect I
          have bird flu?
 Consult your doctor immediately if you have
  had contact with live birds or travelled to a
  country which has cases of bird flu
 Or call 993 for a special ambulance to take
  you to the Communicable Disease Centre
  for evaluation
          Sources of information
 Internet websites
      www.birdflu.gov.sg
      www.epic.gov.sg
      www.ava.gov.sg
      www.moh.gov.sg
    Sources of information
 AVA Hotline:
  1800-226 2250
 MOH Hotline:
  1800-333-9999
Thank
 You