India, Feb. 27 -- Discovery triggers need to prepare polar programmes to avoid transmission of infection to humans

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has infected bird populations in mainland Antarctica for the first time, threatening penguin populations.

Scientists from Severo Ochoa Molecular Biology Centre of the Higher Council for Scientific Research, Spain have confirmed the presence of H5N1 virus causing the bird flu among two dead skuas from Primavera, the Antarctic base of Argentinian scientific research station located on the Antarctic Peninsula.

Another confirmed case of a wandering albatross has also been reported, but on Bird Island in the British overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

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