A dolphin that died after it was found in distress and stranded in Florida’s Big Bend region was infected with highly pathogenic bird flu, according to a recently published report from researchers with the University of Florida Marine Animal Rescue Program.
This discovery marks the first known detection of the Influenza A virus, a pathogen that causes bird flu, in a common bottlenose dolphin.
Recently, bird flu has been infecting cattle in the U.S.
The USDA says that strain is H5N, and that it has been found in recent months in 34 dairy herds in nine states.
The dolphin was first put on researchers’ radar on March 29, 2022.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was considered an possible cause of illness, then death due to the numerous reports of wild birds dying because of this type of virus.
Read the full story at Fox35 Orlando.
