Concerned about bird flu, Jharkhand Health Minister says, "I eat more chicken"

Jharkhand's authorities declared an outbreak of bird flu in the capital Ranchi this week. But as concern grows, Health Minister Banna Gupta noted that “you eat more chicken when bird flu is spreading”. The Congress leader insisted that proper cooking heat is enough to allay concerns. The development came less than a week after an outbreak in Bokaro district led to the culling of 4,000 chickens and ducks.

“There's no need to panic when bird flu is spreading, I'll eat more chicken, just reheat it well when cooking,” he said.

“Several cases have been detected, there are no serious concerns yet. Our department is working closely with the animal husbandry department, and we will ensure that no one suffers,” Gupta added while interacting with reporters. According to reports, samples from Jail More under Ranchi Municipal Corporation — believed to be the epicenter of the outbreak — tested positive for H5N1 bird flu.

The Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has directed the Jharkhand government to take immediate measures to deal with the situation. This includes declaring infected and surveillance areas, restricting access to infected premises, culling birds and disposing of dead birds and infected material.

Symptoms of infection in humans include severe upper back pain, fever, cough, shortness of breath, colds, and blood in sputum. According to the World Health Organization, bird flu is not easily transmitted between humans, and most cases are linked to direct or indirect contact with infected poultry.

“Serious illness and death can occur as a result of a complication of pneumonia. The mortality rate of bird flu in humans is much higher than that of seasonal flu infection,” the health authority wrote on its website.