The WHO is worried about

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. 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.