{"id":173594,"date":"2023-04-07T14:42:46","date_gmt":"2023-04-07T14:42:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/?p=173594"},"modified":"2023-04-07T14:42:46","modified_gmt":"2023-04-07T14:42:46","slug":"bird-flu-alert-as-returning-birds-bring-renewed-fear-of-transmission-to-humans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/world-news\/bird-flu-alert-as-returning-birds-bring-renewed-fear-of-transmission-to-humans\/","title":{"rendered":"Bird Flu alert as returning birds bring renewed fear of transmission to humans"},"content":{"rendered":"
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    Scientists have issued an urgent warning regarding the return of migrating birds potentially carrying bird flu returning to the UK to nest.<\/p>\n

    Professor Ian Brown, the Director of Scientific Services at the government's Animal and Plant Health Agency has urged authorities to be \u201cwatchful\u201d of returning gannets after a tragedy last year.<\/p>\n

    In 2022 thousands of seabirds perished after contracting the disease and a repeat could have lasting catastrophic effects on the environment.<\/p>\n

    READ MORE: Eerie mystery of dozens of dolphins washing up on beaches just days apart <\/b><\/p>\n

    It is also feared that \u2013 were this to happen again \u2013 the risk of the condition being passed to mammals, including possibly humans, would be increased.<\/p>\n

    Speaking toSky News<\/u>, Professor Brown explained how experts were still unsure what exactly led to the horror outbreak and subsequent deaths last year. <\/p>\n

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    He said: "It looks like the virus was introduced into seabird colonies by another population.<\/p>\n

    "So rather than those gannets going out to sea and being exposed to the virus, it's more probable they were exposed to other birds that mingled in their colony.\u201d<\/p>\n

    He added: "Gulls, which we know are very susceptible to this virus, can carry it and can shed it. So in theory they can introduce it into a colony.<\/p>\n

    "Once it gets into the colony, those birds are really tightly packed and the virus spreads very fast."<\/p>\n

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