Identify penguin cases, increasing fearsabout the spreading of the bird flu byAntartica scientists
Scientists in Antarctica are advising people about the rapid spread of the deadly H5N1
avian flu virus, which was first verified on the frozen continent’s the main island in February
along with has since been identified in nearby penguin and cormorant populations.
The virus’s spread, resulting in destroyed populations of birds globally and seriously
affected South American wild bird and ocean animal populations, generated worries about
the possible impact on Antarctica’s large penguin populations.
Ultimately, we are speaking about a really frightening possibility, said researcher
Fabiola Leon of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, who participated in a
research mission to monitor for bird flu in Antarctica during year 2023 as well as the
year 2024. Species under danger of the death include emperor penguins and other birds.
The Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH), which coordinated the mission, suggested last
week that it had discovered additional positive bird flu cases in the region, calling it a
“landmark” result since it includes cases in penguins.
According to Leon, the positive situations represented nine Adelie penguins and one
Antarctic cormorant. The virus was originally discovered in skua seabirds on the Antarctic
continent last month.
This identification of highly pathogenic influenza H5N1 in Antarctic penguins and
cormorants is for the initially time recorded, Leon added, adding that the congested
environment of penguin colonies as well as seasonal migration might increase the virus’s
spread.
This may encourage and promote the spread of the illness throughout different bird
populations.
A number of projects have been canceled this year because we desired to decrease the
danger of having a human illness or being a virus that shares infection across various
animal colonies.
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