Bird Flu Outbreak in Brazil Raises Concerns of Virus Jumping to Humans

Over 900 seals and sea lions have died in Brazil, while the H5N1 strain has been detected in seals in the United States.

Bird flu has caused the deaths of over 900 seals and sea lions in southern Brazil, raising concerns about the virus jumping to humans.
The virus, H5N1, has been detected in harbor seals in Puget Sound, Washington, and has led to the culling of over 60 million poultry birds in the United States.
In response to the outbreak, France has begun a vaccination campaign for its domestic duck population, aiming to vaccinate about 60 million ducks over the next year.
The United States and Canada have imposed restrictions on French poultry imports, citing concerns that a vaccinated duck might not show symptoms while still carrying the flu across their borders.
Brazil's Agriculture Ministry has reported 148 bird flu outbreaks in the country, mostly along the coast, and has declared a health emergency to contain the disease.