Published February 26,2024
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A lethal kind of chook flu has been confirmed on the mainland of Antarctica for the primary time, scientists mentioned, a possible threat for the southern area’s big penguin colonies.
“This discovery demonstrates for the first time that the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus has reached Antarctica despite the distance and natural barriers that separate it from other continents,” Spain’s Higher Council for Scientific Investigation (CSIC) mentioned on Sunday.
The presence of the virus was confirmed on Saturday in samples of lifeless skua seabirds that have been discovered by Argentine scientists close to the Antarctic base Primavera, CSIC added.
The confirmed case on the Antarctic peninsula, coming after instances on islands close by, together with amongst gentoo penguins, highlights the chance to colonies within the area to the H5N1 avian flu that has decimated chook populations all over the world in latest months.
“Analysis has conclusively shown that the birds were infected with the H5 subtype of avian influenza and at least one of the dead birds contained the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus,” CSIC mentioned in an announcement.
Argentina’s Antarctic Institute on Monday mentioned that the South American nation had labored with Spanish researchers to check samples from lifeless birds discovered earlier within the 12 months close to the Argentine base, which confirmed the presence of the virus.
Hundreds of 1000’s of penguins collect in tightly packed colonies on the Antarctic continent and close by islands, which might allow the lethal virus to simply unfold.
Data from the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research additionally confirmed a now-confirmed case on the analysis base.
Source: www.anews.com.tr
