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A Virus May Be Causing Massive Dolphin Deaths On The East Coast

Dina SpectorAug 27, 2013, 22:17 IST

Vincent M. Janik, University of St AndrewsA rash of dolphin deaths along the East Coast, from New York down to North Carolina, is probably linked to a virus, the AP reports, citing officials from the The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Between July and August, 488 bottlenose dolphins have been stranded, according to NOAA. "That's more than nine times the historical average for the region during July and August," the AP writes.

A possible cause of the unusually high number of dolphin deaths is morbillivirus, a virus related to human measles, according to Discovery News.