Brazilian authorities Wednesday extended for 180 days a declaration of animal health emergency nationwide due to avian influenza, Agencia Brasil reported. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock adopted the measure due to the identification of outbreaks of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus, mainly in wild birds.
Argentine authorities are investigating whether the death of around 40 sea lions inside the port terminal of Necochea / Quequén was due to an outbreak of avian flu, it was reported Tuesday. A colony of about 400 sea lions is usually to be found there.