Barely two months after India declared freedom from avian flu, the deadly virus has struck again. At the dawn of the new year, hundreds of birds — mainly backyard poultry varieties — in rural areas in two districts of West Bengal began dying. The Bhopal-based High Security Animal Diseases Laboratory which tested the samples confirmed that the outbreak was of avian flu.

Although no human infection has been reported so far, experts fear that this outbreak — the fifth in two years — is set to be the deadliest of all, because the areas affected resemble those in countries such as Bangladesh, Thailand and Vietnam which witnessed prolonged crises. Significantly, in the global avian flu outbreak since 2003, Thailand and Vietnam are the two countries after Indonesia that also witnessed a considerably high number of human cases as well as casualties.

However, the virus has not yet acquired the ability to transmit the infection from one human being to another. That’s because the compounds in the human respiratory tract, to which the virus has to attach itself to infect, has an umbrella shape rather than a cone shape which is found in birds, as recent work by Indian scientist Ram Sasisekharan at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US and his co-workers explains. But scientists fear that it is just a matter of time before the virus overcomes this difficulty and triggers a pandemic.

So what should you do to avoid catching avian flu?

1. No cold cuts or poached eggs

Say no to cold cuts, sunny side up and poached eggs. Avoid a “pink” breast or “runny” yolk at the dining table. Any chicken, duck or egg preparation cooked at temperatures below 70 degrees Celsius could be risky as the avian flu virus can survive in such temperatures. Check whether all parts of the meat or egg were subjected to a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius before you bite into it.

2. Beware of cross contamination

Also important — especially in areas experiencing the outbreaks — is the proper handling of poultry while preparing food. There is a need to be aware of cross-contamination. Utensils used for washing raw chicken or other edible birds should not be used for washing vegetables eaten raw such as for salads. It is advisable to avoid frozen food as the virus can survive for a long time.

3. Watch out for crap

Be watchful of droppings smeared on egg trays or outer shell of eggs. It’s well known that the avian flu infection spreads through bird droppings. This is true not just for birds but also for human beings in close proximity to infected birds. In affected areas, it is important to boil drinking water as water collected on rooftops, open ponds, lakes and rivers maybe infected from bird droppings.

4. Stop bird watching

If you are one of those who flock to water bodies to watch migratory birds, it’s time to exercise caution. Avoid coming in contact with the water in these lakes or ponds as it may be polluted by the faeces of the winged visitors or local waterfowls. As infected birds shed large quantities of virus in their faeces, the risk of exposure in such environs is very high.

And absolutely no swimming or fishing in such water bodies.

5. Be a bit like Hitler

In times of bird flu, it is alright to behave like Adolph Hitler. You don’t have to wear his Nazism on your sleeve, but it might help to be a bit of the germophobic he was. It’s best not to shake hands with a stranger. Also, washing your hands and face frequently — preferably with a light bleach or alcohol — can keep you safe from the virus.

Whoever comes in direct contact with infected poultry could be carrying the virus, even though he or she has not fallen sick or is showing any visible symptoms of the disease. Crowded marketplaces, bus or railway stations, movie halls and even malls where people from various walks of life mingle could be the most dangerous spots on earth when it comes to transmission of the avian flu virus.

6. No blind dates, please

In situations where the chances of transmission of the virus from birds to humans are high, it is safer to consider every individual a possible source of infection. A person need not necessarily demonstrate any outward symptom for him or her to be a potential transmitter. So it won’t be impolite now to shy away from people who are sneezing, sniffling or blowing their nose.

Avoid coming in close, contagious proximity with people, unless you are absolutely sure the person is not carrying the germs. From your milk vendor to the newspaper boy to the tram ticket seller, all could be potential carriers. Stay at least 1 to 2 metres away from a person suspected to be infected when talking. Wear a protective mask while visiting a friend, relative or acquaintance who is suffering from a flu-like illness in a hospital or at home.

7. No bribing, either

Traffic cops beware. The cross-country truck driver who passes on a wad of notes to gain easy entry into a city area may be passing on some germs as well.

The latest study by influenza researchers shows that flu viruses can survive on paper currency from 24 hours to 17 days.

Scientists at the National Influenza Research Centre in Geneva University, Switzerland, however, say that they haven't been able to test this with the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus as samples are not easy to obtain. Other flu viruses survived only for 24 hours in laboratory conditions, but when mixed with human mucus they could stay active on bank notes for two and a half weeks.

So, bank employees and others who handle large quantities of currency notes on a day-to-day basis, be very careful.

Taming the flu

Oseltamivir, an anti-viral produced and marketed by pharmaceutical giant Roche under the brand name Tamiflu, is one of the only two drugs available for treating human infection of avian flu. The other one is Relenza which is not widely available.

Tamiflu, which most national governments have been stockpiling, works better before the first symptoms of the flu begin to appear. Though Tamiflu is a prescription drug in the West, it is not easily available in pharmacies in developing countries as national governments have most of the available supply.