A case of bird flu has been discovered in a wild buzzard. Pic: Stock image
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has issued a warning to the public after a case of Bird flu was discovered in county Dublin.
The warning states that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 Bird flu has recently been discovered and confirmed in a wild buzzard in county Dublin.
The Department is urging the public to not pick up or touch sick or dead wild birds, and to keep pets away from sick/dead wild birds.
They added: “We urge all poultry keepers to be vigilant for signs of bird flu and ensure their premises are biosecure.”
The HSE has said that Bird flu is a type of flu infection that spreads among birds.
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It is also known as ‘avian influenza’ or ‘avian flu’. Cases of bird flu in people are very rare. It does not spread easily to humans.
However, you can get bird flu if you are in close contact with a bird that has it and close contact includes touching infected birds that are dead or alive, touching their excrement or bedding or killing and preparing infected poultry for cooking.
The main signs that a bird may have bird flu include sudden death, swollen head, closed and runny eyes, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, diarrhoea and fewer laid eggs or eggs with watery whites.
Symtoms of bird flu include a temperature, feeling hot or shivery, aching muscles, headaches, a cough or shortness of breath.
Other early symptoms include diarrhoea, sickness, stomach pain, chest pain, bleeding from the nose and gums or conjuctivitis.
It takes about 3 to 5 days for the first symptoms of Bird flu to appear.
