US officials warn over bird flu risk

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned people to stay away from wild birds and sick or dying poultry to limit the spread of the bird flu virus.

The warning was made during a virtual press briefing that was part of a Southeast Asia Regional Influenza Workshop hosted by the CDC and Thailand’s Public Health Ministry on Thursday.

Speaking at the briefing were Dr John MacArthur, Director of the CDC Southeast Asia Regional Office, and Dr Bill Davis, Regional Influenza Programme Director of CDC Thailand.

Dr Davis advised people to be especially careful about unprotected contact with sick or dying poultry and to avoid contact with wild birds as such animals could be infected with the virus even if they do not look sick.

“I think what we have seen based on the limited number of human cases that we have responded to and have investigated over the…