How skuas, frigatebirds, and gulls are helping spread avian influenza
3 months, 1 week ago

How skuas, frigatebirds, and gulls are helping spread avian influenza

The Hindu  

It’s not easy finding food at sea. The new strain of avian flu is killing birds by their millions – and we found kleptoparasitism could spread the virus very easily. “HPAI” stands for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, meaning the virus can more readily cause severe disease and death. We have already seen signs of this in skua populations in the northern and southern hemispheres, with brown and great skuas being some of the first detected H5N1 infections at new locations. Skuas more often steal food from other seabirds when away from their breeding sites – including when they’re migrating back to these areas.

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History of this topic

Gulls are intelligent, vital birds that deserve our protection, not scorn
2 months ago

Gulls are intelligent, vital birds that deserve our protection, not scorn

Salon  

Biological conservation efforts typically gravitate toward the more charismatic species. But for gulls — sometimes erroneously called “seagulls,” though they are not exclusive to the ocean — they are described as nuisances and pests, which experts say couldn’t be further from the truth. “Exceptions are gulls where there are up to 1,000 pairs or more in a single town or …

How scientists monitor wild and migratory seabirds, shorebirds and ducks for deadly avian influenza
2 months, 1 week ago

How scientists monitor wild and migratory seabirds, shorebirds and ducks for deadly avian influenza

ABC  

Last Saturday, as night fell, a gaggle of volunteers and scientists gathered along the rocky coastline of Victoria's Phillip Island. With head torches at the ready, Dr Wille and her crew were one of many surveillance groups around Australia who test flocks for avian influenza, with an eye out for a particularly deadly type. The National Avian Influenza Wild Bird …

Australia's bird flu outbreak has claimed the lives of 2 million chickens, but experts fear the worst is yet to come
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Australia's bird flu outbreak has claimed the lives of 2 million chickens, but experts fear the worst is yet to come

ABC  

In the small country town of Meredith, about 70 kilometres west of Melbourne, a lone dead tree stands in the centre of a paddock, looming over two long red furrows clawed into the ground. He's just spent most of this year trying to lead Victoria's response to avian influenza outbreaks, and says the state is "finally on the home stretch". …

Swabbing poop to track bird flu and other viruses : Short Wave : NPR
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Swabbing poop to track bird flu and other viruses : Short Wave : NPR

NPR  

Here are the high schoolers tracking the bird flu virus in New York City Enlarge this image toggle caption Christine Marizzi/BioBus Christine Marizzi/BioBus Most viruses that become epidemics in humans begin in other animals. And now, less than five years after the start of the pandemic some scientists are concerned about another disease that could do something similar: bird flu, …

Ex-CDC Director Makes Alarming Bird Flu Prediction
6 months ago

Ex-CDC Director Makes Alarming Bird Flu Prediction

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Former CDC Director Robert Redfield suggested that a bird flu pandemic among humans is inevitable ― and would be extremely lethal. “I really do think it’s very likely that we will, at some time ― it’s not a question of if, it’s more of a question of when ― we will have a bird flu pandemic,” Redfield …

A strain of bird flu has caused 'mass mortality events' on every continent but Australia. Scientists say an outbreak is inevitable
7 months ago

A strain of bird flu has caused 'mass mortality events' on every continent but Australia. Scientists say an outbreak is inevitable

ABC  

A deadly strain of avian influenza has breached the fragile ecosystem of the world's most remote continent. “It was quite devastating, every couple of metres you’re finding another dead bird," Federation University Australia researcher Dr Meagan Dewar told 7.30. A mutated strain of the virus we know as "bird flu" had penetrated the world's most remote continent. "We do know …

Human bird flu cases ’an enormous concern’: WHO flags surge in H5N1 cases with ‘extraordinarily high’ mortality
8 months ago

Human bird flu cases ’an enormous concern’: WHO flags surge in H5N1 cases with ‘extraordinarily high’ mortality

Live Mint  

The World Health Organization has voiced concern as bird flu or avian influenza continues to cross the species barrier with increasing frequency. The UN health body said on Thursday that the strain has become “a global zoonotic animal pandemic” with human victims displaying an “extraordinarily high” mortality rate. Other animals infected with avian influenza viruses may have virus present in …

Bird Flu Scare: Govt Checks Virus Strains Circulating in India, Poultry Lobby Finds No Unusual Trend
8 months, 2 weeks ago

Bird Flu Scare: Govt Checks Virus Strains Circulating in India, Poultry Lobby Finds No Unusual Trend

News 18  

India has begun monitoring virus strains amid the looming scare of bird flu globally, especially in the United States. “However, at present, it is the time when these birds leave India, reducing the likelihood of acquiring new infections.” Dhanda, who is also the president of Unnat Group engaged in the poultry feed and equipment business, stated that the association has …

Avian influenza strain sparks concern
1 year, 7 months ago

Avian influenza strain sparks concern

Hindustan Times  

India has reported 1 positive case, in a non-domestic species so far, a black heron, of highly pathogenic influenza subtype A H5N1 variant that is ravaging wildlife in several parts of the world. Read here: Bird flu detectives hunt for clues to stop next global pandemic The outbreak has raised concerns recently due to its devastating impact on endangered wild …

Avian flu threatens survival of some bird species in Scotland, study suggests
1 year, 8 months ago

Avian flu threatens survival of some bird species in Scotland, study suggests

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The study, which looked at avian flu in wild birds, found long-term conservation measures …

Bird flu outbreak: Will it cause the next pandemic?
1 year, 9 months ago

Bird flu outbreak: Will it cause the next pandemic?

Hindustan Times  

Scientists are already talking about the largest observed avian influenza epidemic in European history. All the people who tested positive for the new avian flu lineage had had close contact with wild birds, said Richard Pebody, head of the High-threat Pathogen Team at WHO/Europe. In order for avian flu H5N1 to sp But researchers have expressed some concern that the …

Bird Flu Kills Hundreds of Sea Lion, Pelicans in Peru's Protected Marine Areas
1 year, 10 months ago

Bird Flu Kills Hundreds of Sea Lion, Pelicans in Peru's Protected Marine Areas

News 18  

Peru said Tuesday that 585 sea lions and 55,000 wild birds have died of the H5N1 bird flu virus in recent weeks, the latest report on the disease’s impacts. Following the discovery of 55,000 dead birds in eight protected coastal areas, rangers found the bird flu that killed them had also claimed 585 sea lions in seven protected marine areas, …

Why environmental surveillance for avian influenza is vital
1 year, 10 months ago

Why environmental surveillance for avian influenza is vital

The Hindu  

The world’s largest northern gannet colony at the Bass Rock, an island off the coast of North Berwick, Scotland has been recently decimated by avian influenza or bird flu. In India, the latest major avian flu outbreak in 2020-2021 swept through many States causing mass mortality of wild birds which brought the concerns on the lack of active surveillance to …

The Bird Flu Outbreak Has Taken an Ominous Turn
1 year, 10 months ago

The Bird Flu Outbreak Has Taken an Ominous Turn

Wired  

This week, Argentina and Uruguay declared national health emergencies following outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1, the fast-moving virus that destroys poultry flocks and wild birds, and for decades has been feared as a possible spark for a pandemic among people. That makes 10 South American countries that have recently marked their first-ever encounter with the virus, including Peru—where …

Bird flu outbreak in US could turn into new pandemic: Report
1 year, 10 months ago

Bird flu outbreak in US could turn into new pandemic: Report

India Today  

A deadly avian flu killed over 50 million birds in the United States in 2020. The bird flu caused by the H5N1 avian influenza virus mostly affected birds on poultry farms in the US. READ | Avian flu outbreak wipes out over 50 million US birds, a record Similarly, in October last year, a large outbreak occurred on a mink …

Experts Fear Bird Flu Outbreak Could Turn Into New Pandemic
1 year, 10 months ago

Experts Fear Bird Flu Outbreak Could Turn Into New Pandemic

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING An ongoing outbreak of a deadly avian flu strain has already killed millions of birds, and it’s becoming an even greater cause for concern as it spills over into mammalian species. Ian Brown, the U.K.’s Animal and Plant Health Agency director of scientific services, told the BBC that he was “acutely aware of the risks” of avian …

Scottish Government urged to act over rising seabird deaths
2 years, 6 months ago

Scottish Government urged to act over rising seabird deaths

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. He urged anyone who sees sick or dead birds to avoid contact with them and to report them to …

Chicken, turkey farmers struggle to keep birds safe from flu
2 years, 9 months ago

Chicken, turkey farmers struggle to keep birds safe from flu

Associated Press  

DES MOINES, Iowa — Nearly 7 million chickens and turkeys in 13 states have been killed this year due to avian influenza, prompting officials and farmers to acknowledge that, despite their best efforts, stopping the disease from infecting poultry is incredibly difficult. Food prices already are elevated due to inflation and supply chain problems, and if the bird flu outbreak …

US bird flu case puts chicken, turkey farms on high alert
2 years, 10 months ago

US bird flu case puts chicken, turkey farms on high alert

Associated Press  

DES MOINES, Iowa — Farms that raise turkeys and chickens for meat and eggs are on high alert and taking steps to increase biosecurity, fearing a repeat of a widespread bird flu outbreak in 2015 that killed 50 million birds across 15 states and cost the federal government nearly $1 billion. The poultry industry and government officials say they have …

Bird Flu: Safe to eat chicken, egg? Here's what experts say
3 years, 11 months ago

Bird Flu: Safe to eat chicken, egg? Here's what experts say

India TV News  

Contrary to what some people think that the bird flu virus, also known as Avian influenza, is spread to humans via consumption of cooked poultry products, health experts on Sunday stressed that it usually does not infect people as the virus is heat-labile. Although the virus causing bird flu usually does not infect people, but rare cases of human infection …

Bird flu spreads to eastern Victoria, with cases in Geelong and Bairnsdale
4 years, 4 months ago

Bird flu spreads to eastern Victoria, with cases in Geelong and Bairnsdale

ABC  

Several thousand turkeys will be destroyed following the discovery of a new strain of avian influenza virus, also known as bird flu, at two Victorian properties. Key points: A new strain of avian influenza has been identified at two Victorian properties The new strain is low-pathogenic, meaning infected birds display less symptoms Meat from infected birds is safe to eat …

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