Experts are warning the owner of a TikTok-famous emu not to kiss and cuddle the bird after she said it had bird flu, calling it “extremely dangerous.”

• TikTok-famous emu Emmanuel recently contracted bird flu, his owner revealed.

• Since then, she has posted photos of herself kissing and cuddling Emmanuel, which alarmed experts.

• On Twitter, they warned against such contact because the virus is dangerous for humans.

On Twitter, experts are expressing concern that the keeper of an emu famous on TikTok is posting photos and videos of himself kissing and petting the animal, even though the animal is sick with bird flu, which is transmissible to humans and can be fatal.

Emmanuel, the emu who lives at Knuckle Bump Farms in South Florida, rose to fame on TikTok earlier this year after he was seen in several videos walking into the frame and interrupting his keeper, Taylor Blake, while she was filming videos with other animals.

Many have been viewed millions of times, and Blake’s stern response to the bird – “Emmanuel, don’t do it!” – became a viral catchphrase among fans.

On October 16th Blake revealed on Twitter that a “tremendous tragedy” had occurred on the farm after wild birds infected their domestic birds with bird flu.

She wrote: “Our farm has been severely affected by the introduction of artificial insemination by wild geese and we have lost 99% of the birds on our farm.”

Emmanuel was one of the birds that contracted bird flu But survived And is now stableBlake said on Þjórsárden. Since then she has been shares updates on his conditionas well as photos and videos of Emmanuel, some of which show her touching, CuddleAnd kiss him.

In response, doctors and experts expressed concern about human infection with bird flu.

“Coming face-to-face with a bird with avian influenza is not a good idea – that’s how zoonotic transmission happens, that’s why entire farms of sick birds are killed. We live with the threat of a pandemic,” said Dr. Boghuma Kabisen Titanji, a global health and infectious disease researcher at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. tweeted in response to Blake’s thread.

Dr. Angela Rasmussen, virologist and scientist at Vaccines and Infectious Diseases Organization in Canada, tweeted“If your emu (or any other bird) has bird flu, don’t kiss it. Don’t cuddle it. Don’t touch it. Bird flu is extremely dangerous to humans and other animals. And it sounds harsh, but to prevent its spread, birds that have bird flu should be euthanized.”

Rasmussen also wrote that she “screamed” when she saw a photo of Blake kissing Emmanuel.

Both threads received over 6,000 likes each. Scientist, Academics, and other Twitter users have Also criticized Blake for the close contact.

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

According to the World Health Organization, a total of 864 cases and 456 deaths were reported worldwide between 2003 and March 2022 as a result of bird flu transmission.

In response to the backlash Blake tweeted: “We constantly disinfect and wash our hands, clothes and bodies. Emmanuel freaks out when we approach him with a mask. He doesn’t understand and it’s extremely stressful for him. I’m not going to put any more pressure on him.”

She added that the farm is located in the middle of a 150 days quarantineand that she and her friend had not left since the outbreak.

Blake said She said she had “taken all precautions recommended by the FDA.”

The FDA refers to the biosecurity measures developed by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. To reduce the risk of infectious diseases for animals and humans, it states that farmers should wash their hands before and after contact, wear protective clothing, and provide disinfectant footbaths for all persons who come into contact with the poultry.

Bird flu was detected in Florida, where Blake’s farm is located, in January and has also appeared in several other states, including Kentucky, New York, Virginia, Delaware, Indiana, Maine, Michigan and Nebraska.

According to the CDC, bird flu in humans can range in severity from asymptomatic or mild to severe and fatal.

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

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