H5N1 Detected in Crow, Kerala’s Iritty on Alert

Summary: The rise of bird flu cases has caused the region of Iritty in Kerala to sound the alarm and take precautionary measures.

The district administration of Iritty, Kerala, has confirmed that the crows have been infected with the H5N1 Avian Influenza in the Edakkanam area of Iritty. However, no cases have been detected in domestic birds, and, thus, no culling is required at the moment.
Arun K Vijayan, the District Collector (DC), has called for precautionary measures to be taken in this region. The disease was confirmed by the Deputy Director, Kannur Regional Diagnostic Laboratory. The DC has directed the District Medical Officer and Joint Director of the Local Self-Government Department to take all necessary measures to prevent the spread of the virus in Iritty municipality and adjoining regions.

The H5N1

The H5N1 is a type of influenza virus that causes avian influenza. It is also known as Bird Flu and is a highly contagious respiratory disease affecting birds. Infections can also be found in mammals, including humans, though rare.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that in humans, this infection manifests as mild illness to severe complications, which may prove lethal.

The symptoms

Initially, patients may display signs of conjunctivitis or other non-respiratory symptoms. The symptoms of the H5N1 are as follows :

Fever
Malaise
Cough
Sore throat
Muscle pain

The severity of the infection may lead to the onset of serious respiratory disorders or neurological issues.

Prevention

To prevent the infection from turning into a pandemic, some countries have developed and licensed vaccines for the avian influenza viruses, including the H5N1 strain, as a precautionary measure. The WHO does not presently recommend taking these vaccines, as these infections rarely infect humans.

If you display any of these symptoms, immediately contact your healthcare professional for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Conclusion

So far, just one infected crow has been detected; therefore, there is no outbreak or surveillance zone declared. Culling of birds is therefore not required at the moment. In view of safety protocols, if carcasses of infected birds are found, then they will be buried at a substantial depth with carbon dioxide, as informed by the Municipal Public Health Department. The staff who will be handling this burial have been ordered to wear masks, gloves and PPE kits, as a matter of precaution.
The Health Department has been advised to closely monitor the situation and immediately report any cases of unexplained fever or respiratory infections among the residents of the region.

Source: Inputs from various media Sources