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The World Health Organization says it is worried people may stop eating
chicken because of the growing concern about bird flu. During the mad cow
scare, sales of beef plummeted. WHO spokesman Ian Simpson tells VOA there
is no need to panic.
"At this stage, there is no evidence of anyone having become sick,
anyone becoming infected with avian influenza as a result of eating
properly cooked, properly prepared meat and egg from poultry," said Mr.
Simpson. "So, there is no reason to stop eating chicken. There is no
reason to stop eating eggs. But, there is every reason to insure that any
chicken meat, any poultry meat or any eggs that are consumed are properly
prepared and properly cooked."
The World Health Organization says thorough cooking will kill any
virus, including the deadly H5N1 strain of avian flu. Eggs from sick birds
could also contain the virus. So, the World Health Organization advises
people from affected areas not to eat raw, or undercooked eggs.
The U.N. health agency says birds from diseased flocks should not enter
the food chain, and infected birds should not be used for animal feed.
But, the World Health Organization says consumers run no risk of getting
the virus through handling or eating poultry in areas where there is no
bird flu outbreak.
Mr. Simpson says people in affected areas often are exposed to the H5N1
virus during the slaughtering and subsequent handling of diseased or dead
birds. He says people can take precautionary measures.
"For example, if people are preparing them, they should ideally be
wearing protection of their face, and also protection of their hands," he
added. "That the area where they are protecting them should be a hygienic
area. It should be able to be completely cleaned, so that, at the end of
the day, or at the end of the shift, when the chickens have been prepared,
that all of the waste material is gotten rid of safely and hygienically,
so that the waste material does not pose any risk to people coming into
the area afterwards."
The World Health Organization says raw meat should be separated from
cooked or ready-to-eat foods to avoid contamination. It says people
preparing food in areas with avian-flu outbreaks should wash hands
frequently, and all surfaces and utensils that have been in contact with
raw meat should be washed and disinfected. | 
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