Updated February twenty seventh, 2024 at 17:47 IST
Scientists have found that the lethal hen flu virus has reached the mainland of Antarctica for the primary time.
First Case of Bird Flu in Antarctica | Image:Unsplash / Representative
Antarctica – In a stunning discovery, scientists have revealed that the lethal hen flu virus has reached the mainland of Antarctica for the primary time. According to The Guardian, the Argentinian scientific analysis station working on the Antarctic peninsula acknowledged that the H5N1 virus was discovered on Friday. As per the studies, the virus was present in two lifeless scavenging birds referred to as skuas close to Primavera Base. In addition to this, suspected circumstances have additionally been reported in brown skua, south polar skua and kelp gull in Hope Bay that are additionally situated within the frozen peninsula.
“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,” the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research stated of their latest report. These are the primary confirmed circumstances and point out that the virus is spreading within the area, most certainly by way of migratory birds. The outbreak of the H5N1 virus is liable for killing thousands and thousands of untamed birds globally for the reason that yr 2021, The Guardian reported.
The flu reached Antarctica in October
As per the studies, the lethal flu reached the broader area of Antarctica in October final yr. At that point the committee reported the case on sub-Antarctic islands. The virus was first detected on the British abroad territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, about 1,000 miles (1,600km) away from the continent of Antarctica. Not solely this, the virus was additionally discovered within the Falkland Islands, which is 600 miles north-west of South Georgia. The lifeless birds from mainland Antarctica have been discovered by Argentinian scientists who ultimately despatched their findings to scientists from the Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa in Madrid.
“The problem is how long is it going to take before it transmits to other species like penguins. We need to monitor that,” stated Antonio Alcamí, a researcher from the Spanish National Research Council. “I’m afraid I believe it most likely will transmit to penguins. The skuas reside fairly shut, and so there are various alternatives for transmission, however we are going to see,” he added. In the previous, outbreaks of the virus in South Africa, Chile and Argentina have proven that penguins are inclined to the virus.
