Bird flu moves south, devastating sea lions in Argentine Patagonia

Animal health authorities have announced that due to the bird flu outbreak, numerous sea lions along Argentina's Atlantic coast, from Buenos Aires to Santa Cruz, have died.

An environmental authority from Patagonia stated that approximately 50 dead sea lions displayed symptoms similar to birdflu.

This situation has prompted officials to warn against visiting beaches where birdflu cases have been identified along the country's 5,000-kilometer coastline.

The bird flu outbreak in South America has led to the deaths of marine mammals such as sea lions, seals, and walruses.Earlier this year, when the virus decimated bird populations across the continent, Peru documented the deaths of hundreds of sea lions.

A highly lethal H5N1 birdflu outbreak that caused the deaths of 17,800 out of 195,503 birds in a poultry farm west of Russia has also been reported.

This situation highlights the progression of the birdflu virus from seasonal outbreaks to sustained pandemics, marking one of the largest birdflu outbreaks to date.

The WHO had concerns about the possibility of certain mammal species producing new strains of flu viruses that could harm both animals and humans.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States recommend rapid antiviral treatment for anyone displaying symptoms of birdflu, as there is no proven cure for the virus.

However, if the virus develops resistance, these drugs may lose their effectiveness, prompting experts to strongly advise immediate action.