By Stephanie Stahl

March 5, 2024 / 6:08 PM EST / CBS Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Concern is growing about the avian flu now spreading to marine mammals and a new study says that it increases the potential risk to humans.

The danger to humans is low right now, but as long as the avian flu is spreading to other animals, there’s a risk it could spread to people, which is why scientists say close surveillance and research is needed.

Dying elephant seals on the coast of western Argentina are linked to H5N1, the virus known as avian influenza.

It has been circulating in birds for decades. Last year’s sky-high egg prices were due to a 2022 outbreak that affected 58 million chickens in the United States alone.

Researchers say there have been cases where the virus spreads from infected birds to mammals. Now, researchers fear it may be moving from one mammal to another.

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“I think it’s quite likely,” Dr. Chris Walzer, with the Wildlife Conservation Society, said.

Now, there’s a push to do better tracking of viruses in animals – to protect humans.

“This avian influenza outbreak has been one of the largest threats to wildlife globally,” Walzer said. “We just can’t wait for it to hit human populations. We need to be working upstream to look at what’s happening in these wildlife populations.”

The risk remains low, but experts say the virus is changing quickly.

“We need to be on it, to see if the virus acquiring new traits that could create a problem for us humans,” Walzer said.

In Argentina, experts estimate last year 18,000 seals died and most of them pups. More than 95% of the seals born in Argentina in 2023 did not survive.

“Someone described it as apocalyptic,” Valeria Falabella, scientist, said. “This kind of mortality is completely new for us.”

Now, scientists everywhere are being urged to watch for signs the avian flu is spreading.

The CDC says people who work closely with birds may be at higher risk of getting avian flu and should take precautions.

Reuters

Mon, March 4, 2024 at 6:53 AM PST·2 min read

https://www.yahoo.com/news/olympics-french-foie-gras-back-145338728.html

PARIS (Reuters) – A jump in foie gras output this winter as France was virtually spared from bird flu that had ravaged flocks in previous years will allow chefs to have enough of the delicacy when visitors rush to Paris for the Olympics, producers said on Monday.

France has been among the countries worst affected by an unprecedented global spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, that has disrupted supply of poultry meat and eggs and sent prices rocketing in many parts of the globe in the past years.

This prompted the government to launch a campaign in October to vaccinate all ducks against bird flu. Ducks are among the most sensitive species to the virus and the most likely to carry it without being noticed, causing higher dissemination risks.

France, by far the world’s largest producer of foie gras, only experienced 10 outbreaks of bird flu since it started vaccination, against 304 outbreaks by the same time last year, official data showed.

Fewer outbreaks allowed producers to raise foie gras output for the first time this decade in 2023, with industry group Cifog estimating the gain at 20% to 10,000 tonnes.

“We are once again becoming a reliable producer in terms of supply and quality,” Cifog Director Marie-Pierre Pe told Reuters.

“The challenge is to put duck breast and French foie gras back on restaurant menus, particularly in the run-up to the big event that is the Olympic Games where the whole world will come to France. We will be able to meet it,” she added.

About 40% of foie gras sold in France is consumed in restaurants, Pe said.

French foie gras’ main competitors are Bulgaria and Romania which have continued to detect bird flu outbreaks this winter.

Most ducks in France are reared to produce foie gras, which is made from the livers of either geese or ducks that have been fattened with grain, usually by force-feeding.

Prices could fall from record highs this year but only slightly as demand remains strong, costs high and stocks very low, Pe said.

(Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide; Editing by Christian Radnedge) View comments