The British Antarctic Survey released the results of the tests on October 23, 2023.

This survey maintains two research stations in South Georgia, including one on Bird Island.

It is unclear how the virus will affect the South Georgia fauna.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) issued a report in August 2023 warning about the potential of H5N1 avian flu spreading to Antarctica's wildlife populations.

WOAH and the FAO predicted that it would travel south to Antarctica with the migration of birds from South America, where it was detected in October 2022.

The groups cautioned that the impact on animals in the region might be enormous due to:

Their vulnerability to the virus

Their habit of living in dense colonies