Argentina on alert for avian flu outbreak in sea lions
Argentina's animal health authorities are on high alert for an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza that has caused the death of several dozen sea lions on the South Atlantic coast. teleSUR
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00:00 unprecedented outbreak of avian influenza has been recorded in Argentina, where the
00:04 disease affects dozens of sea lions and in the event of mutations of the virus, there
00:10 could be a risk of contagion for humans.
00:13 Since these mammals live in the wild, they can neither be isolated nor vaccinated.
00:18 The authorities decided to close the access to the beaches to reduce the risk of spreading
00:22 the disease.
00:24 So far, Mar del Plata authorities have confirmed the death of at least 80 sea lions that used
00:29 to inhabit during a season in the port of this Argentine city.
00:33 It is suggested that the contact of the sea lions with the fecal matter of migratory birds
00:38 was the cause of a massive contagion, which had previously registered peaks of infections
00:44 on the beaches of Chile and Peru.