An unprecedented flu strain is attacking hundreds of animal species. Humans could be next.
An avian flu panzootic — a pandemic among animals — has struck hundreds of bird and mammal species, including elephant seals.
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By Dino Grandoni
2024 January 15 at (…)
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(( dramatical introduction ))…
The beaches of … in Argentina, … nearly a whole season of seal pups dead, …
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… pups seals died there last year of a strain of avian influenza, victims of an unprecedented panzootic — a pandemic among animals — that has struck at least 320 types of birds and dozens of species of mammals.
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Over the past few years, a potent strain of H5N1 avian influenza … domestic and wild animal populations … , the world along birds’ migratory …
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So far, cases of humans getting seriously sick from this strain of flu are rare. But the possibility of the quickly evolving influenza virus gaining the ability to be transmitted between from one mammal to another — and eventually, to humans — has scientists concerned about the pathogen turning into another pandemic. “Every year that this doesn’t happen,” Méndez said, “we’re being lucky.”
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