- On present evidence, the vast majority of human cases have acquired their infection following direct contact with infected live or dead poultry.

- Exposure might also occur when the virus is inhaled through dust and possibly through contact with surfaces contaminated with the virus. Infected poultry excrete virus in their saliva and faces.

- To date, no epidemiological data suggest that the disease can be transmitted to human through properly cooked food (even if contaminated with the virus prior to cooking) or that products shipped from affected areas have been the source of human infections.

- Conventional cooking (temperature at or above 70°C in all parts of a food item) will inactive the H5N1 virus. Properly cooked poultry meat is therefore safe to consume.

- The H5N1 virus, if present in poultry meat, is not killed by refrigeration or freezing.

Eggs can contain H5N1 virus both on the outside (shell) and the inside (white and yolk). Eggs from areas with H5N1 outbreaks in poultry should not be consumed raw or partially cooked (runny yolk); uncooked eggs should not be used in foods that will not be cooked, baked or heat-treated in other ways.
There is no epidemiological evidence to indicate that people have been infected with H5N1 virus following consumption of properly cooked poultry or eggs.
The greatest risk of exposure to the virus is through the handling and slaughter of live infected poultry. Good hygiene practices are essential during slaughter and post-slaughter handling to prevent exposure via raw poultry meat or cross contamination from poultry to other foods, food preparation surfaces or equipment.

Preventive Measures:

Separate raw meat from cooked or ready-to-eat foods to avoid contamination. Do not use the same chopping board or the same knife for raw meat and other foods.
Do not handle both raw and cooked foods without washing your hands in between and do not place cooked meat back on the same plate or surface it was on before cooking.
Do not use raw or soft-boiled eggs in food preparations that will not be heat treated or cooked.
Keep clean and wash your hands. After handling frozen or thawed raw chicken or eggs, wash your hands thoroughly with soap. Wash and disinfect all surfaces and utensils that have been in contact with the raw meat.
Thorough cooking of poultry meat will inactivate the virus. Either ensures that the poultry meat reaches 70°C at the center of the product (piping hot) or that the meat is not pink in any part. Eggs yolks should not be runny or liquid.
Do not eat raw poultry parts or raw eggs.