Amid many seasonal diseases, viruses and the spread of bacteria, the US is also coping up with the bird flu outbreak with as many as 27 cases of avian influenza reported in the country since April 2024. Four workers at an egg farm in Southeast Washington's Franklin County were also found positive. The reason was exposure to infected poultry. Five other states in the US have also identified human infections with the virus amid the other cases found in poultry, dairy cattle and wildlife. Where Does It Come From?Bird flu primarily infected farmworkers or those in close proximity to livestock. The first human bird flu case in the US was reported in 2022, to a person who was also involved in farm-working.While this flu is largely confined to birds in the wild and poultry, recent outbreaks have been reported in mammals too, including cattle.SymptomsCommon symptoms include high temperature, chills, body pain, cough and cold, and difficulty in breathing. It is also common to experience gastronomical symptoms like diarrhoea, stomach pain, sickness, chest pain, and nose and gum bleeding. How To Consume Poultry Safely?Pasteurisation and cooking them at high temperatures can curb the threat. It is also important to handle your poultry products when you are buying and storing them. Also, avoid drinking raw milk to kill avian influenza A(H5N1).How To Handle Chicken While Shopping?The meat juice can spill over and contaminate other food items, therefore it is extremely important to store it properly, in a way that it does not contaminate another food item. Always store it in a cool bag when you are transporting it and refrigerate and freeze the meat for the first two hours of buying. You must also cook your chicken so the viruses do not survive on the chicken. How to Handle Eggs And Consume It Safely?Flu viruses can infect chicken eggs by entering through the eggshell. The eggshells are smaller than the pores of eggshells, which means viruses can enter the eggs and the egg's surface will still be protected. However, it is still important to handle it safely.As per the US Food and Drug Administration, cooking poultry, eggs and other animal products to the proper temperature and preventing cross-contamination between raw and cooked food.