As the virus spreads, it could theoretically mutate to make it easier to hit humans, as it did with Covid, scientists say
Britons have been told to stay away from seals over fears they may be infected with deadly bird flu, writes the Daily Mail.
Health authorities have received increased reports of mammals carrying bird flu. Although transmission to humans is rare, scientists fear that bird flu could be the cause of the world’s next pandemic.
As the virus spreads, it could theoretically mutate to make it easier to hit humans, as happened with Covid.
The risk to humans is low, according to the UK Health Safety Agency (UKHSA). However, he warned Britons to still avoid the animals. Keepers and scientists, who come into close contact with the seals for work purposes, should wear masks and thick gloves. Workers should also collect samples from sick and dead seals at diagnostic labs for testing to monitor if the virus is evolving.
A report by the Department for Environment, Food and Agricultural Affairs and the Animal and Plant Health Agency warns of an increase in bird flu cases from seals.
Birds known for being near water, such as seagulls, are more likely to spread the virus to other birds and animals, the report said. Several cases have been reported in recent years.
A seal pup in Cornwall was infected with the H3N8 strain, considered one of the deadliest types of bird flu, killing up to half the people who contract it in 2017.
Meanwhile, seals at a wildlife rehabilitation center in Norfolk were found to have the milder version of H5N8 in 2020. However, no humans were infected in either case.
UKHSA has argued that there is no evidence that seal-to-human transmission has ever occurred in the UK. But there is evidence of human transmission outside the UK.
Five people who worked with seals in the US contracted animal flu in the 1970s and developed conjunctivitis. But they fully recovered and did not spread it further. UK health chiefs have warned that seals catching bird flu could allow the virus to mutate and become more contagious or more severe.
They warned that bites and other contact with infected seals or their infected tissues and body fluids pose the “greatest risk of human exposure”.
View the news feed and get the latest news.
I have worked in the news industry for over 10 years. I have a vast amount of experience in covering health news. I am also an author at News Bulletin 247. I am highly experienced and knowledgeable in this field. I am a hard worker and always deliver quality work. I am a reliable source of information and always provide accurate information.
