Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Thousands of baby seals died on two remote sub-Antarctic islands.
Scientists now think they know why
On remote sub-Antarctic islands about 4,000 kilometers southwest of
Australia, thousands of carcasses of seal pups, penguins, and seabirds were left.
In one area, nearly all seal pups were dead. It was found that the cause of the
devastating deaths of the sea mammals and birds was H5 bird flu, which had
likely been transferred through migratory birds from other sub-Antarctic
islands 1,800 km away. The H5 bird flu, specifically the highly pathogenic H5N1
strain, is a contagious, deadly disease currently widespread among wild birds, commercial
poultry, and dairy cattle. While the public health risk to humans remains low,
infected birds and animals display severe symptoms and then die. When H5 bird
flu is detected on a chicken farm, it is put under strict quarantine, its entire
flock is culled, and the farm undergoes extensive cleaning and disinfection. Last
month, a wild migratory brown skua was found positive for the H5 bird flu in Western
Australia, the first case on the continent. People in Australia are now advised
not to touch sick or dead birds or animals. Watch out not only for sharks but
also for seabirds on Australian shores.
Read the article and learn about how contagious and deadly the bird flu
is.
