After Uruguay confirmed its first case of bird flu in a sea lion and NGO SOS Rescate Fauna Marina said it had seen 10 such animals showing symptoms of the disease, the Ministry of Livestock, through the National Aquatic Directorate Resources (Dinara), turned on the alarm lights to warn people Do not approach them as there is a risk of contagion.
“Human contagion exists and is outdated’, Dinara director Jaime Coronel said in a conversation with Telemundo on Wednesday. “IAvian flu has very few cases of transmission worldwide, but has a high mortality rate of up to 50%, which means that there is a lot of concern that this is a problem for humans‘, he clarified.
“In the face of cases, we advise to notify, but stay away from the animals,” Coronel said, also asking not to approach the docks and to feed them. “The idea is In the face of sea lions or sea lions present on the coast, whether symptomatic or dead, it is advised not to approach the animal“.
Sources from the Ministry of Animal Husbandry revealed that observer They have arranged a meeting with the national emergency system (Sinae) and have contacted different cities such as Montevideo, where the first case was reported, as well as Maldonado and Rocha.
Advice from the Municipality of Montevideo
In light of the case on the coast of Montevideo, the Municipality of Montevideo has developed a series of recommendations to prevent the spread of avian influenza to other animals and humans.
– We ask people not to approach live or dead animals found on the shore.
– Avoid taking pets to beaches with live or dead animals.
– Keep a distance of not less than 10 meters.
– If a live diseased animal is present, do not disturb it or attempt to release it back into the sea or send it to a rehabilitation center.
– Take the same precautions if there are dead or sick birds on the shore.