³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

An outbreak of bird flu has killed 220 flamingos in north-western Argentina, officials have confirmed.

The dead birds are of the James's flamingo species (Phoenicoparrus jamesi), which lives at high altitudes in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru.

The H5N1 strain of the avian flu virus currently spreading through South America can infect an entire flock within days.

It can also spread to humans and other mammals through droppings and saliva.

In August, more than 50 sea lions died of bird flu on Argentina's Atlantic coast and earlier this year thousands of them were found dead in Chile and Peru.

Some of the tests carried out on the flamingos found dead in the north-western province of Catamarca came back positive for avian flu, biodiversity official Anabella Ahumada told local media.

The lagoons in the area are also home to two other species of flamingo, but so far only James's flamingos appear to have been infected.

The local authorities said they had put in place measures to contain the spread of the virus They also warned locals not to touch any dead animals.

The James's flamingo, also known as puna flamingo, is categorised as "near threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).