Western Cape Avian Influenza continues to ravage wild seabirds

The deadly disease continues to claim the lives of seabirds in the Western Cape. However, hope has surfaced that the crisis may be dying down, as less than a hundred dead birds per day are now being reported, according to The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB).

Avian influenza (HPAI) – sometimes called bird flu – is a viral disease with incredibly high transmissibility. Seabirds develop symptoms quickly after contracting the disease and fall very ill within days. The H5N1 strain of the virus was detected in the wild seabirds in the Western Cape, primarily affecting gulls.

At present, there is no cure nor preventative treatment, hence sick birds are therefore euthanised to contain the spread of the virus. Symptoms range from tame behaviour, weakness, muscle twitches, and seizures.

Whilst the risk of transmitting the virus from the seabirds to humans is low, people can still carry the virus on their hands and close and in turn infect other birds.

The death toll for the wild seabirds was approximately 16 514 in early November. Now, the current amount is estimated to be 21 172 dead birds, the majority of which originated on Dyer Island. The Cape cormorant remains the most affected bird with a shocking 20 558 deaths.

Whilst these numbers are discouraging, SANCCOB is hopeful that the daily deaths dying down could be indicative of a break soon.

The Disaster Management Centre, as well as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, continue to urge the public in the province to report any unusual behaviour or mortalities in any seabirds to them, or their local municipality, conservation organisations, or state veterinarian.

Picture: Wikimedia Commons

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