Scientists are warning of an imminent threat from a destructive strain of the bird flu that’s coming from Antarctica.
The government of Australia recently warned its residents that they need to prepare for the disease to spread once it arrives, which they said seems inevitable.
A report in the Guardian recently said that the “highly pathogenic and contagious strain” of the bird flu would likely make its way to Australia through its territory in the Macquarie Island, located in the Southern Ocean.
The virulent strain, known as the H5N1 Avian flu, has already killed millions of poultry, wild birds and sea birds throughout the world.
The Australian Antarctic Division and other government agencies were informed earlier this month during planning exercises that the arrival of the bird flu strain was a case of “not if, but when.”
Back in February, the strain was confirmed to be in Antarctica. The Guardian’s report highlighted that scientists have estimated that 17,000 southern elephant seal pups as well as 30,000 sea lions lost their lives to the virus in the region.
Seabird ecologist Dr. Louise Emmerson said that it’s possible that the flu strain could soon arrive on Macquarie Island or on Australia’s territory in the Antarctic when animals begin to migrate back there in the next few months — which is springtime in the southern hemisphere.
Australia is the only continent that hasn’t yet felt the effects of this bird flu strain, the Guardian reported. Other variants of this virus have been detected in the past, with more than 900 cases being identified in humans since 2003, with more than 400 people dying as a result.
A major concern is that the flu has begun to spread to mammals. Emmerson said the fact that the strain has spread so rapidly is concerning, as is the fact that it’s spread to animals that would have not been expected to be infected, such as cows, raccoons and cats.
As Emmerson explained:
“It’s had a very big impact on many different species … some populations have been really badly impacted with in excess of 90% mortality.”
A big worry among scientists is that the infections that are happening in the unexpected animals could eventually lead to mutations, which might then lead to an increased risk for humans.
Another concern that some scientists have voiced is the effect that climate change is having on the spread of bird flu. Rising temperatures have led to some bird species adjusting their migratory patterns, which means they might start spreading bird flu to parts of the world where they wouldn’t have before, such as Australia in this case.
Tanya Plibersek, the environment minister in Australia, said an “all-in” approach is needed from private organizations and the government to mitigate the threat of the bird flu strain in her country.
A group of scientists are going to be sent this spring to the Antarctic territory that Australia owns to see whether there are signs that the bird flu strain is there during typical breeding months for many animals.
