HPAI detected in mammals in sub-Antarctica for the first time
12 January, 2024
Results confirm High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been found in elephant and fur seals on the subantarctic island of South Georgia.
The presence of HPAI has been confirmed for the first time in mammals in sub-Antarctica. The disease was detected in elephant and fur seals on the island of South Georgia by experts from the UK’s world-leading Animal Plant Health Agency (APHA). HPAI was first suspected on Bird Island off the northwest coast of South Georgia in October 2023 after the deaths of several brown skua. Sequence analysis from infected birds demonstrates that the virus has most likely been introduced through migratory bird movement from South America.
