Date: Jan 23rd 2014 10:06a.m.
Contributed by:
cityweekend
Amidst all of the H7N9 bird scares you see flying around, the WHO office in Beijing has published a few frequently asked F&Q forum via China Daily.
Q:Why is the number of human H7N9 cases rising?
A: This is wintertime. There are likely to be more flu cases than other seasons. An increase in H7N9 virus infections in humans has been noted since October, after a period of relatively few human cases over the summer, indicating that h7N9 infections may follow a similar seasonal pattern. This trend is expected to continue through the winter months.
Q: Is it safe to eat chicken?
A: It’s safe to eat well- cooked chicken. Evidence shows that avian flu viruses cannot live on in chicken that is properly cooked (to an internal temperature of 70C).
Q: Is it safe to visit live markets and frams in areas where human cases have been recorded?
A: It is best to avoid visiting live bird markets, but if this is inevitable, avoid direct contact with live animals and surfaces with animals. If you live on a farm and raise animals for food, be sure to keep children away from sick and dead animals.
Seeing that the WHO now advises it’s safe to eat well-cooked chicken, has the H7N9 epidemic been preventing you from eating chicken in the past? We’d like to hear your thoughts below!