What you should know about bird flu
By RABI A. BATURE

BIRD flu is a disease of birds that lives and feeds in water and examples of these kinds of birds include ducks, swans, geese, etc.; scientist have named the virus “(H5NI) influenza,” bird flu is also known as avian influenza.
The flu virus is very contagious and has killed many kinds of wild birds; other birds generally catch bird flu by coming into contact with infected birds or their feaces or from water or soil where infected birds have defected. Bird flu spreads very quickly among domestic poultry such as chickens. It rapidly kills most chickens that become infected, usually within two days.
After extensive tests, scientists believe that bird flu is carried from Asia to Africa by imported domestic poultry. But in Nigeria, scientists have traced bird flu outbreaks to imported chickens from China.
However, the first case of bird flu in Africa was identified in Northern Nigeria, somewhere around February 2006, since then the disease has been confirmed in the following African countries: Nigeria, Egypt, Sudan, Cameroun, Niger, Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivore.
From the year 1997 to April 2006, there have been 205 reported cases of humans infected by the virus. One hundred and thirteen of the infected people have died from the virus which is an average of less than 15 people per year dying of bird flu, globally, the current health risk to humans in Ghana is not very high.
Currently, humans cannot be easily infected with bird flu. Even though millions of birds have been infected with the disease, only 205 cases of bird flu in humans have been detected.
Moreover, the few who have been infected with bird flu generally have handled dead or sick birds or have come into contact with bird faeces (droppings) or the blood of sick birds. It is believed that people are most likely to be infected when they kill, pluck, clean or prepare infected bird for cooking, infected bird faeces or blood contaminate cages, hen houses, clothing, wheeled chicken carriers or vehicles. It is possible for people to get infected with the disease if they handle these contaminated items.
The virus is not easily transmitted from birds to humans, especially if basic hygiene practices are followed. There is no concrete evidence of infected humans passing the (H5N1) virus to other people, but in the past, a different bird flu virus (H1N1) did evolve so that it was easily passed from humans to humans. It caused a worldwide epidemic in 1981. Today, scientists are watching closely so that they will know very early if the (H5N1) virus changes so that it can be passed more easily from person to person.
The only way to stay save from bird flu is to stay away from touching a sick bird or a bird that is found dead; one should also wash his/her hands with ash or soap and water after touching birds, cook chicken and eggs well before serving. One should also avoid surfaces that may have been contaminated by bird faeces (dropping).
All chickens should be kept in a closed area, new birds should be separated from the rest of the flock for at least two weeks. Symptoms of Newcastle disease and other bird diseases are very similar to bird flu, so you will not be able to tell at first since bird flu is highly contagious, it quickly kills more birds than any other common bird disease.
If lot of birds are dying quickly, you will know it is bird flu. It is important to report sick and dying birds to any local veterinary or agricultural officer with immediate effect.