Bird flu, or avian flu as it's sometimes called, is an infectious type of influenza that spreads among birds. However in some rare cases, it can also affect humans and although there are a variety of strains, most of them do not infect us.
In recent years however, some have been discovered which do and have been a cause of concern, says the NHS.
The news comes as a Chinese woman has become the first person to pass away from the H3N8 strain of bird flu. The 56-year-old fell sick on February 22 and was later taken to hospital with severe pneumonia where she died on March 16, as reported by the Mirror.
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So what are the symptoms and how is it spread? Here is everything you need to know.
How is bird flu spreads to humans?
Bird flu is spread by close contact with an infected bird (dead or alive).
This includes:
- Touching infected birds
- Touching droppings or bedding
- Killing or preparing infected poultry for cooking
The NHS state: "Markets where live birds are sold can also be a source of bird flu. Avoid visiting these markets if you're travelling to countries that have had an outbreak of bird flu.
"You can check health advice for the country you're visiting on the TravelHealthPro website.
"You can't catch bird flu through eating fully cooked poultry or eggs, even in areas with an outbreak of bird flu."
Bird flu symptoms
Symptoms can take three to five days to appear with the NHS warning: "Within days of symptoms appearing, it's possible to develop more severe complications such as pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Getting treatment quickly, using antiviral medicine, may prevent complications and reduce the risk of developing severe illness."
The main symptoms of bird flu can appear very quickly and include:
- A very high temperature or feeling hot or shivery
- Aching muscles
- Headache
- A cough or shortness of breath
Other early symptoms may include:
- Diarrhoea
- Sickness
- Stomach pain
- Chest pain
- Bleeding from the nose and gums
- Conjunctivitis
How to prevent bird flu
If you're visiting a foreign country that's had an outbreak you should:
- Wash your hands often with warm water and soap, especially before and after handling food, in particular raw poultry
- Use different utensils for cooked and raw meat
- Make sure meat is cooked until steaming hot
- Avoid contact with live birds and poultry
Do not:
- Go near or touch bird droppings or sick or dead birds
- Go to live animal markets or poultry farms
- Bring any live birds or poultry back to the UK, including feathers
- Eat undercooked or raw poultry or duck
- Eat raw eggs
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