AVIAN INFLUENZA (BIRD FLU)

Avian influenza, also known as Bird Flu, is an infectious viral disease commonly found in birds, particularly wild fowls such as ducks and geese. The virus is transmitted through direct contact with live or dead poultry or exposure to the contaminated environment, such as poultry farms and live poultry markets. Whilst most avian viruses are harmless to humans, a few strains such as the A(H5N1) and A(H7N9) have caused severe infections in people. The H5N1 was first reported in 1997, and had killed nearly 60% of the people who were infected by it.

Another new strain, the A(H7N9) virus, was first reported to have infected humans in March 2013 in China. As of April 2014, 419 cases were reported. The unofficial number of deaths was 127, a death rate of one in five infected persons.