16.12.05 News Zero Ichimen - Avian influenza - Sakurai Sho [English translation]

Avian influenza 2016

Now, in various places in Japan,
"avian influenza" cases are confirmed one by one.

In this season,
the confirmed infected cases of wild birds in the country,
among the 12 circuits and prefectures such as Hokkaido, Aomori, Niigata, Ibaraki, Hyogo, and Kagoshima,
there are more than 45 cases including those under investigation.
(Up to 18:30, 5 December)

Until now the largest number of cases was 61 in 2010 season.
From then, apart from 12 cases in 2014, there was zero case in other years,
there is 45 cases as of December this season which is making a record pace.
In order not to progress to the "outbreak" in 2010,
caution should be taken.

Among the circuits and prefectures with confirmed cases, Niigata and Aomori
are with confirmed infected cases of domestic poultry in poultry farms,
and 540,000 chickens,
and 23,000 ducks raised for food were culled.

However, where does this avian influenza come from?

According to the investigation of the government,
the "migratory birds" which fly to Japan to pass the cold winter
bring in the virus.
According to the latest research, there are three main routes.
The first one is "Siberia route" from Siberia of Russia to Hokkaido,
the second one is "Sea of Japan route" which is from China and Russia to Honshu passing across Sea of Japan,
the third one is "Korean Peninsula route" which birds fly to west Japan passing through Korean Peninsula.

However, even the migratory birds carry the virus,
it will not become a prevalence just with this.

Firstly, the migratory birds have to contaminate the water sites like "lake and swamp",
which then spread the virus to the small animals like
small wild birds and rats domestic in Japan.
These wild birds and rats then
carry the virus into the poultry farms,
so that the domestic chickens may get infection
leading to a chance of prevalence.

Because of this, the place famous for swan
Lake "Hyoko" in Agano City, Niigata Prefecture,
when the dead body of a tundra swan
was diagnosed positive with avian influenza virus,
the access to the surrounding of the place was forbidden from 2 December onwards.

Furthermore, as a measure to protect the national natural treasure "crested ibis",
in "Tokinomori Park" in Sado City,
to make sure the place is free from virus,
measures such as disinfecting visitors’ shoes are taken.

So, what about the safety of chicken as food and eggs?

Speaking from the conclusion,
it can be said that it is "safe" to consume any of them without any problem.
First of all, virus is vulnerable to gastric acid,
so far there has not been any report of catching avian influenza
via eating domestic chicken and eggs .
Furthermore, for those poultry farms with virus detected,
complete "culling" and "enclosure" are implemented,
there is no infected chicken and eggs available in the market.
And, virus is vulnerable to "heat",
it is safe to consume chicken and eggs with thorough cooking.

Currently, the reason of implementing thorough measures against the flu is
firstly, of course, to protect the domestic poultry such as chicken…
also the measures are to prevent the "new influenza" pandemic in 2009.
In the occasion that human being or pigs get infected with avian influenza virus,
when the influenza in the human being and avian influenza "combine" so to speak,
there may be mutation on the virus which makes it
easy to infect human being.

This is "new influenza",
which may cause a world-wide pandemic from human to human.

In order to prevent the occurrence of such "new influenza",
serious "quarantine measures" are carried out.

Source: News Zeroイチメン (http://www.ntv.co.jp/zero/ichimen/2016/12/2016-2.html)