More than 1,500 sea lions in Chile are thought to have actually passed away of H5N1 bird influenza, a boost of more than 1,000 in less than 2 weeks, according to federal government figures. It comes in the middle of growing issue about the infection.
The National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service said a minimum of 1,535 sea lions have actually been discovered dead up until now this year, a considerable boost from mid-March, when 532 sea lions were reported to have actually passed away.
On Friday alone, more than 70 sea lions were reported to have actually passed away on Santa María Island, a sparsely inhabited island about 42 kilometers (26 miles) southwest of Concepción.
In addition to sea lions, more than 730 Humboldt penguins and 8 marine otters have actually been discovered dead up until now this year. Most of the animals were discovered in Arica and Parinacota in northern Chile.
“This shows we are clearly facing an abnormal situation, which we attribute to the phenomenon of highly pathogenic avian influenza,” María Soledad Tapia Almonacid, the head of the aquaculture service, said.
The sharp boost accompanies the nation’s first-ever human case of H5N1 bird influenza, which was reported in northern Chile previously today. The 53-year-old man, from the seaside city of Tocopilla, remains in crucial however steady condition. It’s still unidentified how he was contaminated with the infection.
Sea lions have actually been struck uncommonly hard in South America. Around 3,500 sea lions in Peru, which is beside Chile, are likewise reported to have actually passed away of bird influenza, raising the possibility of mammal-to-mammal transmission.
The worldwide spread of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b – and the recent infected a growing variety of mammals – has actually raised issue about the possibility of a future version which might cause human-to-human transmission. So far, just a couple of cases have actually been discovered in people after contact with contaminated birds.
“The global H5N1 situation is worrying given the wide spread of the virus in birds around the world and the increasing reports of cases in mammals, including in humans,” Dr. Sylvie Briand, a WHO main, said on February 24. “WHO takes the risk from this virus seriously and urges heightened vigilance from all countries.”
