Bird flu controlled, but vigilance needed
SA’s poultry industry and bird keepers can finally sigh with relief, but they must be ready to act next winter
SA has turned the corner in fighting the deadly H5N8 strain of bird flu in commercial flocks, with outbreaks under control and the disease on the wane across the country. While the poultry industry, health authorities and consumers sigh with relief, it is important to guard against complacency, as the disease has not yet been eradicated, particularly in wild birds and ostrich enterprises. Surveillance in this area is continuing, although the disease seems to be waning in wild birds. To date, 30 outbreaks of the disease have been reported at commercial chicken and duck farms — 28 at commercial chicken enterprises and two at commercial duck farms. Compared with other countries that experienced similar H5N8 outbreaks, SA has emerged relatively stronger, thanks to collaborative efforts aimed at preventing the disease from spreading. In June, the outbreak of the H5N8 strain of avian influenza was detected in a commercial poultry facility in Mpumalanga. Further outbreaks occurred in other...
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