Norwegian authorities report Europe’s first detection of avian influenza in a polar bear in the Arctic Svalbard region. Multiple outlets say the Norwegian Veterinary Institute confirms the finding after testing samples from a dead polar bear. The independent reporting also notes that a dead walrus from the same area is infected, indicating the virus is present in more than one species there.
The South China Morning Post adds that the virus identified is the H5N5 variant. It reports that samples come from a male polar bear estimated to be about one year old. The same outlet also states that the walrus was found dead in mid-May, and that Svalbard lies roughly 1,000 km from the North Pole.
Together, the reports describe the case as Europe’s first documented instance of bird flu in a polar bear and as a finding linked to highly pathogenic avian influenza circulating in wildlife. Norwegian officials continue to characterize the extent of the infections in Svalbard and their potential implications for animal health and surveillance in the Arctic.
