Avian flu information

Information about Influenza
Influenza is an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract. Influenza is highly infectious with an incubation period of one to three days. Influenza infections are spread by respiratory droplets produced by coughing or sneezing. Spread can also occur through fine aerosols and by hand to mucous membrane contact. Symptoms include fever, chills, headache and extreme fatigue. Other common symptoms include a dry cough, sore throat and stuffy nose. Many people confuse Influenza with a heavy cold; however, Influenza is usually more severe and is caused by a different virus. For otherwise healthy individuals, Influenza is an unpleasant but usually self-limiting disease with recovery in two to seven days, but for some people it can lead to illnesses that are more serious. During a pandemic, Influenza can also cause serious illness in young healthy individuals.

Avian Influenza and the risk of a Pandemic
Avian 'Flu is caused by viruses that normally infect only birds and, less commonly, pigs. There have been cases of infection in humans, thought to be through close contact with infected poultry. Recent outbreaks of Avian Influenza across Asia and more recently Europe have led to concerns about the creation of new strains of human Influenza virus to which the population would have little immunity. These concerns have led to heightened influenza surveillance both internationally and throughout the U.K. To date there have been a limited number of cases worldwide where human to human transmission of avian flu has been suggested but at present there is no evidence that the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus has adapted to spread easily from human to human.

Nevertheless the Government is preparing for the possibility that we could be faced in the foreseeable future with some form of pandemic influenza.

Planning for a Flu Pandemic within the University
This is the responsibility of The Cambridge University and Colleges Emergency Planning Working Party. Its membership includes representatives of local and regional health protection agencies and Primary Care Trusts, as well as Senior Tutors, Bursars, College Nurses, a Professor of Medicine and Head of House, the University’s Occupational Health Service, the Committee of Management of the University Health Services, the University Counselling Service, and the University’s Emergency Management Team.

Guidelines on responding to a flu pandemic
The Working Party liaises closely with the University’s Advisory Group on Communicable Diseases, which is preparing guidelines on responding to a flu pandemic. These guidelines will be posted shortly; their purpose is to ensure swift dissemination across the university and colleges of information and instructions received from local medical and emergency services, and to achieve a co-ordinated response to advice and instructions received.

Infection Control measures
The Advisory Group on Communicable Diseases will also be issuing periodic precautionary advice to Colleges and Departments on infection control measures.

University Emergency Management Team (EMT)
The University EMT has appointed a Sub Group to steer the development of the main aspects of emergency planning necessary to deal with a significant major event and its aftermath. The Sub Group is chaired by the Senior Assistant Registrary (Old Schools) and the rollout of the Departmental Response Emergency Action Manuals (DREAM) files is being managed by the University Fire Safety Manager.

A Colleges’ Emergency Plan
A working party of Bursars and Senior Tutors will produce a generic Emergency Plan for adoption by the Colleges in the Easter term 2006.

Practical advice
Registration of students with Cambridge GPs
Every student should be registered with a Cambridge GP. General Practices will be key to the delivery of treatment and inoculation measures: registration will ensure prompt access to appropriate service, and will allow practices to plan more accurately.

Infection control measures
You can reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of catching influenza during a pandemic by

• maintaining good basic hygiene, for example washing hands frequently with soap and water to reduce the spread of a virus from hands to face, or to other people.
• Covering your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing, using a tissue where possible
• Disposing of dirty tissues promptly and carefully – bag and bin them.
• Cleaning hard surfaces (eg kitchen worktops, door handles) frequently using a normal cleaning product.

Guidance on handling and disposing of dead garden and wild birds
If you find a dead swan, goose or duck or three or more dead wild, or garden birds together in the same place, please report this to Defra, via the Defra Helpline on 08459 33 55 77. The current Defra helpline opening hours are Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 8.00 pm and Saturday and Sunday 9.00 am to 6.00 pm. They may wish to have the birds examined for signs of specific diseases. They will advise you on what action you should take.

If the dead bird is a single, small garden or wild bird then you do not need to call Defra. You should leave it alone, or follow the guidelines below for disposal.

Wild birds can carry several diseases that are infectious to people and some simple hygiene precautions should minimise the risk of infection. It is hard for people to catch avian influenza from birds and the following simple steps are also effective against avian influenza.

If you have to move a dead bird

• Avoid touching the bird with your bare hands.
• If possible, wear disposable protective gloves when picking up and handling.
• Place the dead bird in a suitable plastic bag, preferably leak proof. Care should be taken not to contaminate the outside of the bag
• Tie the bag and place it in a second plastic bag.
• Remove gloves by turning them inside out and then place them in the second plastic bag. Tie the bag and dispose of in the normal household refuse bin.
• Hands should then be washed thoroughly with soap and water.
• If disposable gloves are not available, a plastic bag can be used as a make- shift glove. When the dead bird has been picked up, the bag can be turned back on itself and tied. It should then be placed in a second plastic bag, tied and disposed of in the normal household waste.
• Alternatively, the dead bird can be buried, but not in a plastic bag.
• Any clothing that has been in contact with the dead bird should be washed using ordinary washing detergent at the temperature normally used for washing the clothing.
• Any contaminated indoor surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned with normal household cleaner.