No human cases of bird flu in S’pore but MOH urges vigilance

While there are no confirmed human cases of bird flu in Singapore and the risk of contracting it is low, the Republic needs to stay vigilant and safeguard against infections, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said.

- Judith Tan

As almost all human cases of bird flu, or avian influenza, reported overseas involved close contact with infected birds and poultry, or contaminated environments, the best prevention is to avoid exposure to such sources, said the ministry.

It urged the public to avoid direct contact with wild birds and domestic poultry that could be infected with bird flu viruses.

Birds are not the only animal source of infection. There have been recent cases of humans contracting bird flu in the US after coming into contact with infected cows.

Endemic in avian populations in South-east Asia, bird flu is always a threat in the region and the mortality rate is high, said infectious diseases specialist Leong Hoe Nam.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) raised concerns in April about the spread of H5N1 bird flu, which its chief scientist Jeremy Farrar said has an "extraordinarily high" mortality rate in humans.