LONDON (Reuters) – Bird flu has been detected in mammals in the sub-Antarctic region for the first time, Britain's Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) said on Thursday, raising concerns that the virus could spread and threaten large numbers of animals. Wildlife in the area.
APHA reports that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been detected in elephants and seals on South Georgia Island, a UK overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. He had been testing for bird flu in mammals in the area since it was first suspected last year.
“As Antarctica is such a unique and special biodiversity hotspot, it is sad and worrying to see the spread of disease to mammals in the region,” said Professor Ian Brown, APHA Director of Scientific Services. Mammals can be put at risk.
Subantarctic refers to a region north of Antarctica consisting of many islands.
APHA said the data suggest there is no widespread adaptation of the virus, there is no high risk to humans, and the risk of human infection is very low.
South Georgia, about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) southeast of the Falkland Islands and accessible only by ship, contains some of the most monitored seabird colonies in the world.
H5N1 was first suspected on an island off the northwest coast of South Georgia in October after several brown skuas died. The agency said data from infected birds indicated the virus may have been introduced by the movement of migratory birds from South America.
Brown said samples would be shared with the agency's international partners to help efforts to combat the virus, but cautioned that there are uncertainties about how it infects and spreads.
Last year, bird flu spread across Europe, the United States, Japan and South America, killing thousands of birds and mammals.
Millions of farmed animals have been slaughtered in recent years to prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus.
