25-10-2023 (ANTARTICA) In a concerning development, British experts have reported the first-ever detection of bird flu in the Antarctica region, raising fears about the potential threat this deadly virus might pose to penguins and other local species. Scientists had long dreaded the possibility of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) making its way to Antarctica, a critical breeding ground for numerous bird species.
The British Antarctic Survey disclosed that their researchers collected samples from brown skua seabirds, which had succumbed to the virus on Bird Island, located in South Georgia. This British overseas territory lies to the east of South America’s tip and north of Antarctica’s primary landmass.
After these samples were sent to the United Kingdom for analysis, the U.K.’s polar research institute confirmed the presence of the virus in a statement released on Monday.
The institute pointed out that the virus was most likely introduced to the region by birds returning from their migratory journeys to South America, where a substantial number of bird flu cases have been reported.
To mitigate the risk, visitors to South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are currently subject to enhanced biosecurity measures, and all scientific fieldwork related to birds in these regions has been suspended, as stated in the institute’s announcement.
Since the emergence of the virus in 1996, bird flu outbreaks have occurred regularly. However, starting in mid-2021, significantly larger outbreaks began to extend southward, affecting previously untouched areas, including South America. These outbreaks resulted in widespread deaths among wild birds and the culling of tens of millions of poultry.
Michelle Wille, an expert in bird flu at the University of Melbourne, described the spread of bird flu to the Antarctica region as “devastating news” and warned that the situation could rapidly evolve.
Ian Brown, the head of virology at the U.K.’s Animal and Plant Health Agency, had previously cautioned about the risk of migrating birds transmitting the virus from South America to the Antarctica islands and, potentially, the main landmass. This prospect is particularly concerning for unique Antarctic populations, such as penguins, that have never been exposed to the virus and, therefore, lack prior immunity, making them potentially more vulnerable.
In a more positive development, the Animal Plant Health Agency announced last week that initial research had confirmed immunity to bird flu in the populations of two seabird species, namely northern gannets and shags.
It’s worth noting that human infections of bird flu are relatively rare and typically occur through direct contact with infected birds. Nonetheless, the virus has recently been identified in an increasing number of mammals, leading to concerns that it might mutate into a form that could be more transmissible among humans.
Earlier this month, a two-year-old girl in Cambodia tragically succumbed to bird flu, marking the third recorded death from the virus in the country this year. These incidents underscore the importance of vigilance in monitoring and responding to bird flu outbreaks to prevent any potential escalation of the disease.
