Delhi government on Wednesday asked residents not to be scared of the bird flu. It asked people not to panic and to follow a set of dos and don'ts. It asked Delhi residents not to consume half-cooked chicken, half-boiled or half-fried eggs. "Eat only completely cooked eggs and poultry products cooked at 70 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. Do not consume half-cooked chicken or bird or half-boiled and half-fried eggs," the advisory said.
"H5N8 is highly pathogenic in birds but the pathogenicity in humans as well as the likelihood of human infection with avian influenza (AH5N8) virus is low," stated the advisory issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) of Delhi.
Delhi health department asked people to avoid contact and prevent exposure from 'sick-looking sluggish chicken'. "Avoid contact and prevent exposure from sick-looking sluggish chicken. Avoid direct contact with bird secretions and droppings," the advisory stated. It said that bowls used for feeding birds, and their cages should be washed properly with soap or detergent. All slaughter waste must be disposed of properly, the DGHS authorities said.
The advisory also cautioned people to not touch dead birds with naked hands. If any bird is found dead, one should contact the control room at phone number 23890318, the advisory said.
It cautioned people from keeping poultry meat near cooked meat. "Wash hands frequently at the time of handling raw poultry products. Take due care of personal hygiene and maintain cleanliness in the surrounding," stated the advisory.
Several ducks at Sanjay Lake and a large number of crows across various city parks have been found dead in the last one week. Reports of over 50 bird deaths were received on a helpline of the Delhi government's animal husbandry unit. The revenue department has deployed teams of volunteers at the city's borders to prevent unauthorised entry of livestock, and canned and processed chicken from outside. The Ghazipur poultry market has been closed by authorities.