Deadly virus outbreak at Bay Area state park spreads to nearby beaches |
Two researchers collect observational data at Año Nuevo State Park, including information about individually flipper-tagged northern elephant seals and their symptoms.
The avian flu outbreak that killed 30 elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Park last month, resulting in its partial closure and canceling tours for the season, has spread to at least two other marine mammal species. At a Thursday press briefing, wildlife experts confirmed that the virus is also continuing to expand to nearby public beaches.
Samples collected from sick and stranded animals revealed nine additional elephant seals have tested positive for the virus, along with one California sea lion and one southern sea otter, said Christine Johnson, director of the Institute for Pandemic Insights at UC Davis. That brings the total of infected live elephant seals up to 16, though she noted the count only reflects animals that have gone through testing, and more will likely be reported in the coming weeks.
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Though the outbreak is currently limited to San Mateo County, Johnson said experts have detected additional cases along the coastline just north and south of Año Nuevo State Park. The risk to the general public is very low, but the likelihood of contracting the virus is higher for people who have been directly exposed to infected animals. She urged people and their pets to “stay back” and “avoid all contact” with stranded, sick and dead marine mammals and birds.
“We are starting to see some carcasses on public beaches,” she said. People are asked to contact the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s stranding hotline at 866-767-6114 to report any sightings. If you think you have been exposed to a sick animal on the........