Avian flu is rarely far from the news, with outbreaks becoming more ominous since the global Covid pandemic.
But how does it spread, who’s in the most danger, and what can be done about it?
Watch our exclusive animation.
But how does it spread, who’s in the most danger, and what can be done about it?
Watch our exclusive animation.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Should I worry about avian flu?
00:02Avian flu includes several types of influenza A viruses.
00:06The most dangerous is the H5N1 virus,
00:09which can kill whole flocks of birds.
00:11Migratory birds are the first to be affected by the disease.
00:15The wild birds then contaminate farmed birds.
00:18The virus can spread easily between farms
00:21and can sometimes infect cats and cows.
00:23The risk of human contamination is low.
00:26It is most commonly caught by humans
00:28working on farms in direct contact with the birds.
00:32Dairy foods can become contaminated,
00:34so cook them well before consumption.
00:36On the rare occasions that humans catch bird flu,
00:39common symptoms include fever, cough, fatigue,
00:43eye irritation, and difficulty breathing.
00:45Sometimes there are fatal neurological complications,
00:49can be treated by antivirals,
00:50and there are vaccines for humans and birds.