Jaime Coronel, Head of National Aquatic Resources Directorate (Dinara), Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP), said Montevideo Portal New swab results from the sea lions were released on Wednesday, and three other dead animals tested positive for the bird flu virus.
According to him, one of them was alive when he was swabbed, but later died. The three animals were found on a beach near Punta del Este, in Maldonado province.
On Tuesday, MGAP reported its first case, a sea lion that also died from the virus. In this case, he was found on Cerro Beach in Montevideo. The head of the ministry confirmed that swab tests on live and dead animals will continue.
Coronel said that from Thursday to Friday, relevant MGAP authorities will meet with members of the Sector Emergency Coordination Center (Cecoed) of the three coastal sectors that have not yet met: Rocha, Maldonado and Canelones. They have met with people from Montevideo this Wednesday.
as far as he knows Montevideo PortalIn the province of Maldonado alone, the carcasses of at least fifteen sea lions were placed awaiting final disposal. In addition, there are some penguins and turtles. When asked about these other species, Coronel said, “Historically, there has not been any record of bird flu in any of these animals.”
Assuming bird flu spreads among animals, he said, it traveled from Peru to Chile and then to Argentina, where the virus-laden specimens came from.
The cities of Montevideo and Maldonado issued a statement on Wednesday urging people not to approach dead or live coastal animals and to prevent pets from coming into contact with sea lions following information about the first case of bird flu in a sea lion. them..