Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore

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		Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

		Influenza A (H1N1)

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Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

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About Bird Flu
1.	What is Bird Flu?
	Bird flu or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza is a highly contagious poultry disease that is caused by Type A influenza virus. It causes high mortalities in poultry.

2.	What animals can be affected by bird flu?
	Bird flu can affect a wide variety of birds. Domestic poultry such as chickens and turkeys are the most susceptible.

3.	How is bird flu spread?
	The virus can be spread to susceptible birds through: Direct contact with nasal and respiratory secretions from infected birds Direct contact with the faeces of infected birds Contamination of feed and water Contact with contaminated equipment and humans Many species of waterfowl, especially wild geese, ducks and swans, may carry the virus without clinical signs. The virus is concentrated in faeces and nasal and eye discharges. Infection may be introduced by migratory wild birds.

4.	What are the signs that infected poultry will show?
	Infected poultry can show signs such as: sudden death lack of energy and appetite swelling of the head, eyelids, combs, wattles and legs purple discolouration of the wattles and combs nasal discharge coughing and sneezing diarrhoea

Public Health Risks
1.	Can bird flu be transmitted from chickens to humans?
	It is rare for the bird flu virus to be transmitted from chickens to humans. Of all the bird flu virus strains, only the H5N1, H9N2 and H7N7 strains have been known to pass from chickens to humans.

2.	How is the disease transmitted to humans?
	The virus is transmitted to humans through close contact with infected chickens. Transmission occurs through inhalation of droplets of nasal and respiratory secretions from the infected chickens when they cough or sneeze as well as inhalation of dried faecal matter.

3.	What are the symptoms of humans infected with bird flu?
	The reported symptoms of bird flu in humans have ranged from typical flu-like symptoms such as cough, fever, sore throat and muscle aches to eye infections, pneumonia and other complications.

4.	Can bird flu be transmitted from human to human?
	There is no evidence of human-to-human transmissions.

Consumption of Poultry and Poultry Products
1.	Is it safe to eat poultry and eggs?
	Yes, the poultry and eggs available in the market are safe to eat. Bird flu is transmitted to humans through close contact with infected live poultry. There is no evidence that bird flu can be spread to humans through the consumption of poultry and eggs.

2.	Is it safe to consume canned poultry products and chicken essence?
	It is safe to consume canned poultry products and chicken essence. There is no evidence that bird flu can be transmitted to humans through the consumption of poultry and eggs. Moreover, all canned products undergo a heat treatment process that effectively destroys any viruses.

3.	Is it safe to handle raw poultry?
	Yes, it is safe to handle raw poultry. Bird flu is transmitted to humans through close contact with infected live poultry. However, you should practice general food safety precautions such as separating raw from cooked food to avoid cross contamination which can cause food poisoning.

4.	Are there guidelines to cooking poultry?
	Consumers are advised to cook poultry meat thoroughly and to eat food that is well-cooked. Thorough cooking helps to kill any harmful germs present. The eating of any raw or semi-cooked food, including eggs, comes with an inherent food safety risk.

Pet Poultry and Other Pet Birds
1.	I/My neighbour/My school owns some pet poultry. Is it safe to continue keeping the poultry? Will these pet poultry pose a risk to the public?
	Singapore is free from bird flu. The risk of pet poultry getting infected with bird flu is very low. Given Singapore's current bird flu free status, and the disease prevention measures and conditions already put in place, pet poultry kept in Singapore currently do not pose a risk to the general population. However, pet poultry, where kept, are subject to a maximum of 10 poultry and are required to be caged to minimise the risk of contact with wild birds.

2.	How does AVA ensure that the ornamental / pet birds that are imported into Singapore are free from bird flu?
	Ornamental birds are allowed to be imported into Singapore only from sources free of bird flu . The birds are also subject to pre-export quarantine and testing for bird flu to ensure that they are free from bird flu before they are exported to Singapore. In addition, AVA follows up with further checks when the consignments arrive in Singapore.

3.	Do I need to take any precautionary measures if I own pet chickens/birds?
	Bird flu can be spread by wild migratory birds. Owners are advised to take precautionary measures such as keeping their birds in a bird-proof enclosure (e.g. cage, hen house or a netted area in their gardens) so that they do not come into contact with wild birds. Also, owners should not introduce birds of unknown origin to their existing pet birds. Anyone who handles pet birds should also practice good hygiene, such as washing hands thoroughly with soap after handling their pets.

4.	What should I do if my pet bird falls sick or dies?
	If your pet bird is sick, call your veterinarian for advice. If you have more than one bird, separate the healthy birds from the sick birds if possible. The birds could be kept in enclosures (e.g. cage, hen house or a netted area in the garden) that are not adjacent to each other. As a general precaution, adopt hygiene practices such as washing hands thoroughly with soap after handling the birds. When handling dead pet birds, the following steps must be observed: Put on a pair of rubber gloves Pull a plastic bag over the gloved hand. Pick up the dead bird and unwrap the plastic bag over the carcass. Knot the bag up securely and dispose of it together with your garbage. Disinfect the bird cage and wash your hands thoroughly after disposing of the dead bird. Avoid contact with bird droppings and excretion at all times. Wash exposed skin and/or clothing with soap and water and household antiseptic or disinfectant immediately if you have come into contact with the droppings and excretions.

5.	What should I do if I don't want to keep my birds anymore?
	Do not abandon your pet chickens/birds. You can surrender them to AVA's Centre for Animal Welfare and Control (CAWC) for euthanasia. The CAWC's hotline is: 1800-476-1600.

Visits to Nature Reserves, Bird Park, Zoo, etc
1.	Bird flu is usually spread by migratory birds. Is it safe to go to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve or other parks and reservoirs?
	Singapore is free from bird flu. It is safe to visit Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and other parks and reservoirs, as it is highly unlikely that visitors would catch avian flu from wild birds. Only infected chickens have been known to spread the disease to people who have come in close contact with them. Park visitors would not come in close contact with the wild birds at Sungei Buloh. They view the birds at a distance with their binoculars and telescopes. In addition, AVA and NParks have an on-going surveillance programme for bird flu in wild birds at Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve. AVA collects blood samples and swabs from trapped wild birds for testing. To date, no bird flu has been detected.

2.	Is it safe to visit the Bird Park and the Zoo?
	Singapore is free from bird flu. It is safe to visit the Bird Park and Zoo. The Bird Park and Zoo have also taken additional precautions to prevent the introduction of bird flu. They have put in place precautionary measures to protect their birds, staff and visitors, and to prevent visitors from coming into close contact with wild birds.

Actions Taken by AVA
1.	What is AVA doing to prevent the introduction of bird flu into Singapore?
	AVA has taken the necessary precautionary measures to prevent the incursion of bird flu. We have banned the import of live birds, poultry meat, poultry products and eggs from countries affected by bird flu. We have also intensified our checks and surveillance on imported poultry and eggs at points of entry. Testing of imported poultry and eggs for bird flu have also been stepped up. In addition, AVA officers have stepped up checks and surveillance on our poultry slaughterhouses and poultry farms. AVA has briefed the operators of slaughterhouses and farms on how to look out for signs of bird flu, and they are required to immediately report to AVA if they suspect bird flu. As an added precaution, local poultry farm operators have been instructed not to allow the public to visit their farms. Farms are also required to ensure that biosecurity measures (e.g. disinfection and bird-proofing) are in place. AVA has taken the necessary precautionary measures to prevent the incursion of bird flu. We have banned the import of live birds, poultry meat, poultry products and eggs from countries affected by bird flu. We have also intensified our checks and surveillance on imported poultry and eggs at points of entry. Testing of imported poultry and eggs for bird flu have also been stepped up. In addition, AVA officers have stepped up checks and surveillance on our poultry slaughterhouses and poultry farms. AVA has briefed the operators of slaughterhouses and farms on how to look out for signs of bird flu, and they are required to immediately report to AVA if they suspect bird flu. As an added precaution, local poultry farm operators have been instructed not to allow the public to visit their farms. Farms are also required to ensure that biosecurity measures (e.g. disinfection and bird-proofing) are in place. AVA will implement emergency vaccination of poultry in local farms when there is an imminent threat of bird flu incursion into Singapore. However, emergency vaccination will only be activated under critical circumstances, such as when rampant bird flu outbreaks occur in areas of close proximity to Singapore, or when there is an imminent threat of a human flu pandemic. AVA has begun encouraging farms to implement, on a voluntary basis, bio-segregation measures such as not sharing equipment, and separating egg collection areas from production areas. These measures aim to prevent inter-farm contact and the spread of disease from farm to farm should bird flu occur in any of the farms. When the measures are implemented, our poultry farms can be segregated into several clusters. Should an isolated outbreak of bird flu occur in one cluster, the disease will not spread to the other clusters if effective bio-segregation and bio-security measures are in place.

2.	What happens if cases of bird flu are discovered in our poultry farms?
	AVA has a contingency plan to deal an outbreak of bird flu in Singapore. In the event of an outbreak of bird flu in any of our poultry farms, AVA will take immediate actions to control and eradicate the disease. The poultry of all farms in affected clusters will be culled using a humane method and safely disposed of. However, the poultry of farms in unaffected clusters that are adequately bio-secured and bio-segregated may not be culled.

Others
1.	Will crows and other common birds in Singapore such as pigeons and mynahs pose a threat to us?
	Singapore is free from bird flu. Crows, mynahs and pigeons in Singapore are not known to be carriers of bird flu. AVA and the National Parks Board conduct regular checks on migratory birds which can be carriers. AVA and the National Environment Agency also conduct regular checks on crows, mynahs and pigeons. So far, no bird flu virus has been detected.

2.	What should I do if I come across dead birds in public places?
	Singapore is free from bird flu. It is highly unlikely that the dead birds died from bird flu. However, as a precaution, do not touch the dead birds. Contact the National Environment Agency at 1800-225 5632 for assistance to remove the dead birds.

3.	Can my pet cat/dog contract bird flu?
	Singapore is free from bird flu. It is highly unlikely that your pet cat/dog will contract bird flu.

4.	Is it dangerous for me to come into contact with stray chickens around my estate?
	Singapore is free from bird flu. It is highly unlikely that the stray chickens have bird flu. Practice good hygiene habits and wash your hands thoroughly with soap if you come into contact with any poultry. You can also call the National Environment Agency at 1800-225 5632 if you come across any stray or dead chickens.

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Last updated on 16 August 2010

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