Authorities issued a health alert on Friday in Sweden after cases of “parrot fever” started to erupt throughout December.
At least 25 people have been confirmed as infected with parrot fever in Sweden, a flu-like disease that spreads through wild birds like parrots, parakeets, and a whole host of others who many keep as pets, according to The Telegraph. The disease may start like a mild sickness, but can quickly evolve into severe pneumonia and meningitis, making it just as scary as bird flu. Though it is colloquially known as “parrot fever,” the disease is really called “psittacosis.”
Sweden’s Public Health Agency, Folkhälsomyndigheten, said 12 cases of the disease cropped up in December alone, suggesting the spread is increasing. The disease is largely shared from birds to humans via the inhalation of particles from bird poop, but recent studies suggest “human to human transmission may be more common than previously thought,” University of East Anglia professor Paul Hunter noted to the outlet.
Multiple UN Agencies Issue Warning Over Global Outbreaks Of Deadly Virus | @DailyCaller https://t.co/4iZaAcZJIp
— KAY SMYTHE (@KaySmythe) July 13, 2023
“Sweden has seen a marked increase in reports of psittacosis since 2016,” Hunter continued. “The Swedes are not sure of the cause but suspect it may be due, in part, to new diagnostic test panels that now include the disease whereas previously the test was mainly only done when the requesting doctor specifically asked for it.”
Psittacosis is caused by a bacteria called Chlamydophila psittaci, and kills 90 percent of the birds it infects, the Telegraph noted. More than 80 percent of pregnant women who contract the disease lose their child before birth. (RELATED: Experts Warn Of Rapidly Changing Bird Flu Virus During Enormous Outbreak)
“People who live with birds in the house or work with poultry are at an increased risk, especially if the workplace is poorly ventilated, or if not using PPE when cleaning out cages,” Imperial College London professor John Tregoning told the outlet.