First case of bird flu found in an elephant seal off Chubut coast

The National Agricultural Food Hygiene and Quality Service (Senasa) confirmed on Tuesday the detection of new cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 among marine mammals, including in the Punta Tombo region, 80 kilometers to the north Positive cases were detected in elephant seal samples. South of the capital of Chubut Province.

“The agency’s national laboratory has diagnosed new disease-positive samples taken from dead seals and elephant seals, detecting avian influenza in a new species of marine mammal, the elephant seal,” a statement said. .”

The peculiarity of this case is that, although there have been more than 200 cases of fur seal infections, this is the first time that they have been recorded in a specimen of “Mirounga leonina” (the elephant’s scientific name), a much stronger species than sea lions.

“Positive cases of avian influenza were actually confirmed in specimens from elephant seals and sea lions,” Germán Rezanowicz, animal health coordinator at the Regional Center Directorate of Southern Patagonia, told Télam.

“The peculiarity is that the virus did not occur in any of the birds from which samples were taken, nor in a cow found nearby where the samples were sampled and which tested negative for HPAI,” the Senasa expert explained.

“There is a colony of elephant seals in ‘Dos Pozos’ near Punta Tombo, and it is suspected that the specimen found came from there,” explained the Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Protected Areas of Chubut Province.

The provincial government of Chubut is preparing to start the Magellanic penguin season this Friday, with the population estimated to peak when around 1 million penguins are concentrated in this geographical location.

“For now, the season will be considered started, since nothing can stop it: there are no cases of avian influenza among penguins, and no large arrival of specimens has been observed so far,” explains the expert.

The opening of the penguin colony will follow health protocols, including cleaning of floors for shoes, small group entry and distancing measures to avoid contact with specimens as much as possible.