AMMAN — Expert
epidemiologist, Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Maani, called for a ban on hunting
migratory birds in the Kingdom during this year, in anticipation of the
possibility of them carrying avian influenza, as well as general caution around
the
birds and farms.
اضافة اعلان
Maani pointed out that the virus is transmitted through the
air via respiratory secretions, direct contact, or through the feces of
infected birds. Contaminated hands can also spread the virus for a long time.
It can also be transmitted through virus-contaminated feed, water, and other
materials and contaminated clothing. Indoor and confined spaces on farms can
also
increase the risk of infection, Al-Rai News reported.
He also explained the symptoms, which include fever, runny
nose, sore throat, cough, headache, muscle pain, and some patients may suffer
from conjunctivitis or pneumonia. The death rate is high in patients with
severe symptoms.
According to official statements, the Kingdom is currently
free of
avian influenza, but, Maani stressed, this does not prevent the disease
from reaching us if necessary preventive measures are not taken, especially
after warnings from the WHO that came after a girl and her father were infected
in Cambodia previously.
Risk assessmentThe WHO confirmed that the current outbreaks of avian
influenza have affected certain groups of animals, including poultry, wild
birds, and some mammals. These outbreaks have also harmed the livelihoods of
farmers and food trade. Despite the wide-ranging impact of these outbreaks on
animals, they pose ongoing and imminent risks to humans.
While considering the risk from the
avian-human virus to be
low, Maani noted that there have been less than 900 cases of human infection,
more than half of which have been fatal, due to exposure to infected birds or
animals that feed on the birds killed by the virus.
He explained that the recent death case in Cambodia has
increased concerns about the risk of virus mutations which pose a greater
threat to human health. The WHO is increasing its preparedness for all
possibilities and indicates that there are several antiviral drugs available,
in addition to about 20 vaccines licensed for
vaccination against the virus in
case it becomes an epidemic.
The mixing of avian influenza virus with seasonal influenza
virus in humans can result in a new branch of the virus that could spread to
humans and threaten human lives in the future. Therefore, there is a growing
global effort to combat this menace and avoid serious complications that pose a
threat to global health.
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