What happens if a hunter shoots a bird that has avian influenza, and cooks and eats it?
Hunters have been shooting and eating wild birds, including waterfowl species known to be reservoirs for avian influenza, for centuries without ill effects. Severely ill wild birds are rarely healthy enough to fly and are more likely to die of natural causes (disease, exposure, or predation) than to be shot by hunters. According to Health Canada, cooking will kill the vast majority of pathogens, including avian influenza. If precautions are observed when preparing and cooking the birds, the risk of acquiring avian influenza is considered low.
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