Photo courtesy Fuegian Institute of Tourism
#17,614
Given that neighboring Chile has reported more than 16,000 sea lion deaths due to HPAI H5N1, it isn't terribly surprising that Argentina would report similar deaths, but it is another unfortunate milestone in avian flu's trek around Cape Horn.
This (translated) report comes from Argentina's Senasa (National Food Safety and Quality Service).Avian influenza: A positive case was confirmed in wild mammals in Tierra del Fuego
It was diagnosed by the Senasa Laboratory, after analyzing samples of 21 sea lions found dead in Rio Grande.
Posted on Friday, August 11, 2023
Buenos Aires - The National Agrifood Health and Quality Service (Senasa) confirmed the first positive case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5 in wild mammals . The finding was made in 7 of 21 sea lions that were found dead in Río Grande , in the province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and the South Atlantic Islands.
Given the suspicion of mortality, samples were sent to the Senasa National Laboratory , which were diagnosed as positive for H5 avian influenza. To date, two previous suspicions in sea lions had been addressed in the country, which were negative.
The finding was made within the framework of surveillance actions and measures carried out throughout the national territory for the prevention of the disease, established by the declaration of emergency by HPAI - Senasa Resolution No. 147/2023 - and with the objective of preserving the recent self-declaration of a country free of the disease in poultry.
In this context, Senasa formed, together with the provincial government and the municipality of Río Grande , a monitoring committee for the development of control and containment tasks in the affected area .
Likewise, the health agency continues to work with the different regions , together with national, provincial, and municipal organizations and the productive sector, since the state of alert is maintained in the face of the behavior of the disease and its forms of transmission and dissemination.
It should be noted that when the sea lions were stranded in the protected area of the Atlantic coast, Senasa and the provincial environmental authorities established a sanitary protocol for their intervention .
In a preventive manner, access and approach to the coastal sector of the Río Grande Reserve were disabled and the corresponding samples were taken and sent to Buenos Aires to be analyzed.
Based on international experience, it has been observed that marine mammals can be susceptible to AI and that, infrequently, they can become infected . Other positive cases have been reported in countries in the region, such as Peru and Chile. In the latter country, in Puerto Williams, the appearance of a South American sea lion ( Otaria flavescens ) with avian influenza in June of this year stands out.
On the day of the date, a meeting was held to establish the work guidelines that will be followed to eradicate the outbreak and mitigate the risk of spreading the disease, in which members of the National Directorate of Animal Health of Senasa and of its Regional Center Patagonia Sur ; representatives of the Ministry of Production and Environment and Health of the province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands; municipalities and other relevant actors for the region.
recommendations
Senasa reminds producers, institutions and the general public not to visit poultry establishments after having been in contact with dead animals or that have presented symptoms compatible with HPAI.
In addition, it recommends the importance of notifying Senasa if high mortality of susceptible species, nervous, digestive and/or respiratory signs are identified in wild birds or commercial or backyard domestic birds, through the following channels:
- By personally attending the nearest Senasa office , by calling 11 5700 5704 ;
- through the App for mobile devices "Senasa Notifications" , available in the Play Store;
- writing to the email: notificaciones@senasa.gob.ar or through the section Notify Senasa , available on its website.
More information on the avian influenza microsite.
