A new report revealed that dolphins and whales are being infected by a measles-like type of virus. To date, the morbillivirus has already affected hundreds of these mammals from different states.
Morbillivirus is a virus from the Paramyxoviridae family, which typically causes the rinderpest and measles diseases. It is highly infectious and seems to be affecting both dolphins and whales.
The bottlenose dolphin has counted more than 753 victims since the death toll started in July. The infection, which records the highest infection rate ever, has been traced to be moving with the migratory Atlantic herds at a steady rate towards the south. Recently, infected dolphins were found in Florida.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has named the preceding dolphin annihilation as an "unusual mortality event" which caused 740 dolphins to die in the Atlantic coast during August 1987 to April 1988.
NOAA Program Coordinator Teri Rowles of the NOAA Fishers Marine Mammal Stranding Response Program said that if the same pattern is applicable for the outburst this year, "we are less than half way through the time frame" and it would take some time for the virus infection to wane.
Meanwhile, two types of whales have been pre-diagnosed with morbillivirus after positive results from preliminary sequencing of the disease. These three humpback and two pygmy species of whales were found dead, stranded and decomposing. As of this time, the researchers of NOAA are conducting further tests to verify their findings.
Other marine species are being checked for infection. Several whales have been reported in Delaware and New York but scientists are still performing investigations to confirm an outbreak. Common and spotted dolphins, as well as harp seals from the East coast were found free from the virus according to the researchers.
"There is no vaccine that can be deployed for a large bottlenose dolphin population or any cetacean species. Currently there is nothing that can be done to prevent the infection spreading, or prevent animals that get infected from having severe clinical disease," Rowles said in an interview with NBC News.
At the moment, the scientists are investigating the extent of contact of the transient migrants to the local marine species. They're also looking at ways to give medical treatment for the infected but still alive animals. "What we're trying to prevent people from doing is push them back out," said Rowles.
