@news24: Thousands of dead sardines have washed up along about 5km of Gqeberha’s main beaches, with an expert linking the mass die-off to pilchard herpesvirus. Nelson Mandela University professor Nadine Strydom says the virus has likely spread to the Eastern Cape and could affect marine ecosystems and fisheries for years. Residents have been warned not to touch, consume or collect the fish, while researchers are assessing the scale of the die-off and its potential impact on sardine stocks. #pilchardherpesvirus #easterncape #nelsonmandelauniversity #news24