"First Transnational Spread of Avian Flu in Mammals Detected in Elephant Seals"

A study reveals the first known transnational spread of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza among mammals, specifically elephant seals in Argentina, marking a significant adaptation of the virus to mammal-to-mammal transmission. This development raises concerns about potential impacts on human health, wildlife, and livestock, as the virus evolves into separate avian and marine mammal clades.