Sardine Die-Off Linked to New Virus | Johannesburg News

Dead sardines are washing up along South Africa’s coast, and scientists have pinpointed a mysterious virus—pilchard herpesvirus—as the likely culprit behind this massive die-off that began in late July. Authorities have temporarily halted sardine fishing while they scramble to understand how the virus spread across regions, even reaching Namibia, though KwaZulu-Natal remains unaffected—possibly due to cooler waters slowing migration. Lab tests confirm the virus is widespread among dead fish, ruling out algae or toxins as the main cause. No one’s being blamed yet, and there’s no risk to humans, though locals are warned not to touch or consume any beach-found carcasses. Canned sardines? Still safe. A major population survey is planned for later this year to assess the full impact. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Sources:https://www.citizen.co.za/news/sardine-catch-limits-imposed-as-fishery-reels-from-mass-die-off/ More coverage & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/90a25aa8f70d7146 Report issues to [email protected].