A recent study reveals that a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak killed over 330 New England harbor and gray seals along the North Atlantic coast in June and July 2022. This outbreak is associated with the wave of avian influenza in birds in the region. HPAI or bird flu is known to have spillover effects from birds to mammals like mink, foxes, skunks, and bears. But, this study is among the first to connect HPAI to a larger scale mortality event in wild mammals. None of the animals that tested positive recovered.
Source: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/29/4/22-1538_article
