In UK bird flu kills dolphins

London: For the first time, bird flu has killed two dolphins in British seas, government announced on Friday.

The mammals were reportedly discovered last month on beaches in Devon and Pembrokeshire. One of them, at least, tested positive for the extremely contagious avian influenza strain H5N1, which has killed millions of birds worldwide over the past 18 months.

The disease has also impacted some mammals, and the deaths have either been caused by the virus directly or by culling.

This is the first instance of bird flu killing dolphins in the UK, though it has happened elsewhere in the globe before.

Exactly 23 animals, including a harbour porpoise, seals, otters, and foxes, have been impacted in the UK so far.

Other places in the globe have experienced problems with mink and sea lions.

It is believed that the virus does not directly affect people, but rather spreads through animals that eat dead infected birds.

According to the government, there is no proof that mammals are at an increased danger as a result of the dolphin deaths.

“Samples taken as part of routine wildlife surveillance have identified the presence of influenza of avian origin in two dolphins and one porpoise,” said a spokesperson for the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

The fact that the animals were discovered deceased suggests that they had most likely eaten diseased wild birds.

Although it is rare, influenza of avian origin has been found in mammals before, and the danger of the H5N1 strain infecting non-avian UK wildlife is still minimal.

They claimed that the World Organisation for Animal Health had been informed of the results.

Bird Flu in Humans

The only instances of bird flu in humans have been in those who had close contact with infected birds, making the risk of contracting it extremely low.

It is believed that people cannot spread it to one another.

Although Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, cautioned that “we cannot assume that will stay the case and we must prepare for any change in the status quo,” he did say that the situation could change.

It is recommended that anyone who interacts with wildlife wash their hands completely afterward and refrain from handling sick or dead wild animals.

At the close of the previous year, it was discovered that bird flu had caused 600,000 turkeys to die or be culled.

The United States is now contemplating immunising chickens against bird flu due to the ongoing epidemic’s severe impact on the supply of meat and eggs.

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