Peru reports hundreds of sea lion deaths due to bird flu

Category : Miscellaneous Published on: February 13 2023

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Peru reported the death of 585 sea lions and 55000 wild birds due to the H5N1 bird flu virus in recent weeks.
Following the discovery of 55,000 dead birds in eight protected coastal areas, rangers found the bird flu that killed them had also claimed 585 sea lions in seven protected marine areas,
The dead birds included pelicans, various types of gulls, and penguins.
Laboratory tests also confirmed the presence of H5N1 in the dead sea lions.
The H5N1 clade circulating in birds, poultry, and an increasing number of mammals has a mutation that makes the virus more recognizable by mammalian airway cells.
The most recent human case was reported in a 9-year-old girl from Ecuador.