In Peru, nearly 600 sea lions are said to have died of bird flu. A 74-year-old Japanese man wanted to force young people to have sex with a photo of aliens

At least 585 sea lions have died of bird flu in Peru, authorities said. The dead marine mammals were discovered along the coast of the South American country, said the board of nature reserves (Sernanp). A cadaver examination revealed that the animals were infected with the bird flu virus H5N1.

About 55,000 dead birds were also discovered in several protected areas, including pelicans, blue-footed boobies, gulls and penguins. The agricultural health authority Senasa assumes that the avian flu was brought to Peru by migratory birds.

The largest ever documented outbreak of bird flu is currently raging and spreading across several continents. Recently, the pathogen had been found in several mammalian species such as raccoons, foxes and martens.

Also more dangerous for humans

The outbreak of bird flu at a mink farm in Spain worried experts because the pathogen there could have been passed from mammal to mammal. That would be an indication that the H5N1 virus adapts to mammals and can therefore become more dangerous for humans.

Bird flu is also on the rise in Switzerland. On Monday, the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (BLV) announced new cases in five black swans in Zurich’s Weinland. It was the second case of bird flu on a rural farm this winter. The first case was discovered last November in a gray heron and a peacock on a hobby farm near Winterthur. Other cases were discovered in dead wild birds in the cantons of Zurich, Basel-Stadt and Lucerne. (sda/dpa)