VOA新闻杂志2023 巴西近千只海豹和海狮死于禽流感（在线收听）

巴西近千只海豹和海狮死于禽流感

Brazilian officials say bird flu has killed nearly 1,000 seals and sea lions in the country's south.

巴西官员表示，禽流感已经导致该国南部近千只海豹和海狮死亡。

As of December 11, the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul had confirmed 942 sea mammal deaths.

截至12月11日，巴西南部的南里奥格兰德州已确认942只海洋哺乳动物死亡。

The animals were infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, also known as bird flu.

这些动物感染了高致病性禽流感，即禽流感。

The first cases of the sickness were reported in Brazil in 2023.

这是巴西在2023年报告的第一批禽流感病例。

During past outbreaks in Europe and America, agriculture industries have killed hundreds of millions of farm animals to try to contain the disease.

在过去欧洲和美国爆发禽流感期间，农业行业杀死了数亿只农场动物，以试图控制这种疾病。

Officials at Brazil's Agriculture Ministry said preventive measures were put in place after the first report of bird flu in May.

巴西农业部官员表示，在5月份首次报告发生禽流感后，其已经采取了预防措施。

This action made it possible to avoid an outbreak on poultry farms.

这一行动避免了家禽养殖场爆发禽流感。

That kind of outbreak, officials say, would have likely led to a ban on such exports from Brazil, the world's top chicken exporter.

官员们表示，禽流感爆发可能会导致世界上最大的鸡肉出口国巴西禁止出口肉类产品。

Silvina Botta studies oceans and sea life at Brazil's Rio Grande Federal University.

西尔维娜·博塔在巴西里奥格兰德联邦大学研究海洋和海洋生物。

She told Reuters news agency the remains of dead animals need to be buried or burned as soon as possible to prevent further disease spread.

她告诉路透社，死亡动物的尸体需要尽快埋葬或焚烧，以防止疾病进一步传播。

Scientists have found some sea mammals convulsing along local beaches, as the virus attacks their nervous system, Reuters reported.

据路透社报道，科学家发现一些海洋哺乳动物在当地海滩上抽搐，因为禽流感病毒攻击了它们的神经系统。

Botta said that under government health rules, the animals must be killed immediately to prevent their suffering.

博塔说，根据巴西政府的卫生规定，必须立即杀死这些动物，以防止它们遭受痛苦。

Botta added that the first case of bird flu-related sea mammal deaths in the area came in September.

博塔补充说，该地区首例与禽流感相关的海洋哺乳动物死亡病例发生在9月份。

That is when local scientists first became aware of a large increase in disease deaths.

那时，当地科学家第一次意识到禽流感死亡病例的数量大幅增加。

Three towns in the state still have active bird flu outbreaks.

该州的三个城镇仍有禽流感疫情。

Botta said the spread among sea mammals appears to have started in Peru and then reached the South American continent.

博塔说，海洋哺乳动物之间的传播似乎始于秘鲁，然后到达了南美大陆。

The disease has also affected wildlife in Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay.

这种疾病还影响了智利、阿根廷和乌拉圭的野生动物。

Brazil's Agriculture Ministry has reported 148 bird flu outbreaks in the country, mostly along the coast.

巴西农业部报告称，该国爆发了148起禽流感疫情，大部分发生在沿海地区。

Officials have declared a health emergency to contain the disease, which it says "is not yet considered endemic in Brazil."

为控制这种疾病，官员们已经宣布该国进入卫生紧急状态，表示“目前这种疾病在巴西尚未被认为是流行病”。

The virus has also affected other animal populations in the country.

该病毒还影响了该国的其他动物种群。

In addition to the outbreaks among seabirds, seals and sea lions, researchers have collected remains of dead porpoises and penguins found on beaches.

除了在海鸟、海豹和海狮中爆发禽流感外，研究人员还收集了在海滩上发现的鼠海豚和企鹅的尸体。

Officials say they have not yet confirmed those deaths were also from bird flu.

官员们表示，他们还没有证实这些动物是否也是死于禽流感。