health authority Argentina Nearly 50 sea lions have recently died in a habitat along the Atlantic coast, and the agency will investigate whether bird flu was to blame, official sources reported Tuesday.
The animals numbered around 40 and were part of a colony of sea lions (Pinnipeds) from Puerto Quicón, Necochea, Buenos Aires (523 km south of Buenos Aires), in Atlantic waters.
The suspected cause of death was HPAI H5N1 avian influenza virusCity authorities met on Tuesday with representatives of the Argentine Navy Ministry (coast guard), civil protection, the National Health and Food Quality Service (Senasa) and other organizations to investigate the cases.
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As the City of Necochea reported in a statement, the meeting determined that people from the City of Necochea Senasa collects samples from sea lion taxidermy for delivery to central lab Argentine Health Services “For the Determination and Detection of Diseases”.
Similarly, the Argentine Ministry of the Navy will preventively close the southern breakwater of Port Kecan for 48 hours to prohibit the entry of personnel until the results are known.
Apart from, The city will ban vehicles from beaches where animal carcasses were found.
The Necochea Health Secretariat asked people not to approach the site to avoid contact between people and pets and sea lions and sick or dead birds.
Local authorities recalled, “Avian influenza is a potentially zoonotic disease And its transmission occurs through indirect contact with vehicles, footwear, clothing or direct contact”.
“Infected animals eliminate virus through feces and secretions, and feces are highly contagious; contact with humans can occur through the air or through mucous membrane contact,” they warn.
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