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This is what the NHS says about bird flu, including advice on how it spreads to humans, how to protect yourself, symptoms, and available treatments.

Avian flu or avian flu is a contagious flu that can be spread among birds and in rare cases can affect humans.

There are many different strains of avian influenza virus, most of which do not infect humans. But in recent years, four strains have attracted people's attention.

One of these strains-H5N1, which was first discovered in 1997-has been confirmed in a poultry farm in Salwick.

The other 3 strains are H7N9 (since 2013), H5N6 (since 2014) and H5N8 (since 2016).

Although H5N1, H7N9, and H5N6 are not easy to infect people and usually do not spread from person to person, several people have been infected around the world, resulting in many deaths.

In February 2021, H5N8 was found to have infected a small number of people for the first time in Russia.

Avian Influenza in the United Kingdom

In the UK, no one has ever been infected with H5N1, H7N9, H5N6 or H5N8 avian flu-this includes the type of H5N6 virus that has recently been found in humans in China.

However, the UK Ministry of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said that the UK has formulated plans to deal with any suspected epidemics.

H5N8 and H5N1 avian influenza have been found in some domestic poultry, other captive birds and wild birds in the UK, including Lancashire.

H5N6 has also been found in some wild birds in the UK, but it is different from the strain seen in China.

How does avian flu spread to humans

Avian influenza is spread through close contact with infected birds (dead or alive).

-Kill or prepare infected poultry for cooking

The market where live poultry is sold may also be the source of bird flu.

But it is important to remember that even in areas where the bird flu is breaking out, eating fully cooked poultry or eggs will not catch bird flu.

Without avian flu vaccines, seasonal flu vaccines cannot prevent the virus, but there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of contracting the virus.

What can you do to prevent bird flu

-Wash your hands often with warm water and soap, especially before and after handling food, especially raw poultry

-Use different utensils for cooked and raw meat

-Make sure the meat is cooked until steaming

-Avoid contact with live poultry and poultry

-Do not approach or touch bird droppings or sick or dead birds

-Do not go to live animal markets or poultry farms

-Do not eat undercooked or raw poultry or duck

-Don't eat raw eggs

The main symptoms of avian flu will appear quickly, including:

-Very high temperature or feeling very hot or shaking

-Coughing or shortness of breath

Other early symptoms may include:

-Bleeding from nose and gums

It usually takes 3 to 5 days after infection to show the first symptoms.

Within a few days of the onset of symptoms, more serious complications may occur, such as pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Getting treatment quickly and using antiviral drugs may prevent complications and reduce the risk of serious illness.

When to seek medical advice

If you have any symptoms of bird flu and have been to an area affected by bird flu in the past 10 days, please call your GP or NHS 111.

You can check your symptoms over the phone.

What can a doctor do

If you have any of the following conditions, please tell your doctor:

-Recently traveled to an area affected by bird flu, and you have been close (within 1 meter) in contact with live or dead birds

-Have had close contact with anyone with severe respiratory disease (distance of contact or speaking)

-Contact with anyone who died accidentally and came from the outbreak area

These tests can be used to confirm bird flu:

-Nose and throat swabs to see if they contain the virus

-If you cough up sputum, it may be to detect the virus

-If the test result is normal, you are unlikely to have bird flu.

If you think you may have symptoms of bird flu, we will recommend that you stay at home, otherwise you will be treated in the hospital and isolated from other patients.

You may take antiviral drugs, such as oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza).

Antiviral drugs help reduce the severity of the disease, prevent complications and improve the chances of survival.

Sometimes they are also provided to people who have had close contact with infected birds, or people who have had contact with infected people, such as family members or medical staff.

Report a suspected case of bird flu

Avian influenza is a notifiable disease of animals, so you should report any suspected animal cases to the Animal and Plant Health Administration (APHA), even if you are not sure.

If you find a dead bird, please call the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Helpline 03459 33 55 77.

To prevent infection, it is important not to touch or pick up any dead or obviously sick birds you find.

The advice and information in this explanatory article are provided by the NHS. You can find more information on the NHS website here.