A deadly type of bird flu has been confirmed on the mainland of Antarctica for the first time, scientists said, a potential risk for the southern region's huge penguin colonies.

BUENOS AIRES, Feb 26 (Reuters) - A deadly type of bird flu has been confirmed on the mainland of Antarctica for the first time, scientists said, a potential risk for the southern region’s huge penguin colonies.

“This discovery demonstrates for the first time that the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza virus has reached Antarctica despite the distance and natural barriers that separate it from other continents,” Spain’s Higher Council for Scientific Investigation (CSIC) said on Sunday.

The presence of the virus was confirmed on Saturday in samples of dead skua seabirds that were found by Argentine scientists near the Antarctic base Primavera, CSIC added.

  • muhyb@programming.devEnglish
    22·
    8 months ago

    I know penguins live together but isn’t it kinda hard for virus to spread in cold conditions? Also, different penguin groups avoid each other. Even the virus reaches to one group, it’s unlikely to spread to another.