Health minister dismisses bird flu concerns in Turkey

BURSA, Turkey

Turkish health minister reassured the public Tuesday that it was safe to consume eggs and poultry after around 100,000 chickens were purged at a farm in northwestern Turkey Monday following bird flu concerns.

"Right now, all I can say is that there are no risks concerning eggs or poultry," Mehmet Muezzinoglu told reporters in the Mudanya district of the northwestern Bursa province.

"We are entering a period where the avian flu will no longer be an issue as the weather gets warmer," Muezzinoglu said, adding that the Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Livestock had taken all necessary measures to prevent the virus from spreading, including imposing quarantines at some farms.

Around 100,000 chickens were killed at a poultry farm in Mudanya Monday after a number of chickens died.

The farm was quarantined, and an investigation was launched.

The H5N1 virus, commonly known as bird flu, is generally found in poultry. However, some types – which are potentially fatal – can affect humans as well, although the risk is generally low to most people as the viruses do not usually infect humans.

The primary risk factor for human infection appears to be direct or indirect exposure to infected live or dead poultry or contaminated environments, such as live bird markets, according to the World Health Organization.

There is no evidence to suggest that the virus can be transmitted to humans through properly prepared poultry or eggs, the WHO says, noting, however, a few human cases have been linked to consumption of dishes made of raw, contaminated poultry blood.

Depending on the type of virus which caused the infection, symptoms of bird flu in humans range from typical flu symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, and muscle aches to eye infections, pneumonia, severe respiratory diseases, and other severe and life-threatening complications.