Experts call out owner of TikTok emu Emmanuel over avian flu risk

• TikTok-famous emu Emmanuel recently contracted avian flu, its owner has revealed.
• She has since been posting pictures of herself kissing and cuddling Emmanuel, which has experts worried.
• They took to Twitter to warn him against such contact, saying the virus is dangerous to humans.

Experts are taking to Twitter to express concern that a TikTok-famous emur caretaker has been posting photos and videos of himself kissing and cuddling the animal. When he has avian influenzawhich is transmissible to humans and can be fatal.

Emmanuel the emu, who lives Knuckle Bump Firms In South Florida, rose to fame on TikTok Various videos earlier this year showed him walking into the frame and interrupting his handler Taylor Blake as he filmed videos with other animals.

a lot received Millions of views and Blake’s stern response to the bird – “Emmanuel, don’t do it!” – has become a viral catchphrase Among the devotees

October 16, Blake revealed on Twitter A “huge tragedy” struck the farm after wild birds infected their domestic birds with avian influenza.

“Wild geese were greatly affected by the introduction of AI to our farm and we lost 99% of the birds on our farm,” he wrote.

— Echo Sister (@hiitaylorblake) October 15, 2022

Immanuel was the bird who was Compressed avian influenza but survived And Now stableBlake said Twitter. He has since Sharing his status updatesAs well as photos and videos of Emmanuel, some of which feature him the touch, hugAnd kiss him

In response, doctors and experts have expressed concern about human transmission of avian influenza.

“It’s a bad idea to encounter avian flu with a bird – that’s how zoonotic infections occur, which is why whole farms destroy sick birds. We live with the threat of pandemic flu,” said Dr. Boghuma Kabisen Titanji, a global health and infectious disease expert at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. researcher, Tweeted in response to Blake’s thread.

—BK Titanji #IAmAScientist🇨🇲 (@Boghuma) October 16, 2022

Dr. Angela Rasmussen, a virologist and research scientist Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Agency in Canada, Tweet“If your emu (or any bird) has avian influenza, don’t kiss it. Don’t cuddle with it. Don’t touch it. Bird flu is extremely dangerous to humans and other animals. And it sounds harsh, but to prevent it As it spreads, birds that contract avian flu should be euthanized.”

Rasmussen Also wrote She “screamed” when she saw a picture of Blake kissing Emmanuelle.

Both threads received 6,000 likes each. scientists, academician, and others Twitter users there is Also criticized blake for close contact.

-Dr. Angela Rasmussen (@angie_rasmussen) October 16, 2022

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), avian influenza (or bird flu) does not usually infect humans, although it can occur in rare cases. It says it “often occurs after unprotected contact with infected birds or surfaces contaminated with the bird flu virus.”

This is what the World Health Organization said A total of 864 cases and 456 deaths Bird flu infections were reported worldwide between 2003 and March 2022.

In response to feedback, Blake tweeted: “We are constantly washing and cleaning our hands, clothes and body. Emmanuel freaks out every time we go to him with the mask on. He doesn’t understand and it’s very stressful for him. I’m not going to stress him more.”

He also said that the farm was in between 150 days quarantineAnd that he and his girlfriend haven’t moved since the outbreak.

Blake Dr He “took every precaution recommended by the FDA.”

FDA signs Biosecurity measures developed by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the US Department of Agriculture. To reduce the risk of infectious disease for both animals and humans, it says farmers should wash hands before and after contact, wear protective clothing and provide disinfectant footbaths for anyone who comes into contact with poultry.

There was avian influenza Detected in FloridaWhere Blake’s farm is located, in January and has Also found in several other statesIncluding Kentucky, New York, Virginia, Delaware, Indiana, Maine, Michigan and Nebraska.

According to the CDCIn humans, avian flu can range from no symptoms or mild illness to severe disease resulting in death.

Blake did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.

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