bird flu

Photo by Gallo Images / Thapelo Maphakela

Two more bird flu cases confirmed on chicken farms in Gauteng and Mpumalanga

The avian flu has made its way to the North East

bird flu

Photo by Gallo Images / Thapelo Maphakela

The commercial layer farms have been placed under immediate quarantine by the state veterinarian, as the HPAI H5N8 virus was confirmed.

The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said that all measures needed have carried out to isolate and eliminate the disease on both farms.

They are also relatively confident that they can pinpoint what cull depot is responsible for the outbreak:

“Forward tracing was done and cull chicken depots were identified, which had received live cull chickens from one of the affected farms in the last 21 days.  The records of these cull depots are being followed up to trace as many of these chickens as possible.”

They have introduced a new registration system which makes tracing the source of poultry a lot easier. All involved in the industry are required to sign up to ensure the trading of livestock can be carried out safely.

Read: Bird flu strikes South Africa: Here are seven things you need to know about it

Since 22nd June, exports of raw meat, eggs and live birds from South Africa to some trade partners has been derailed, as poultry must be free from HPAI.

The Department has stressed that humans cannot catch the H5N8 virus. Workers on all farms have been tested and no human outbreaks of bird flu have been found.

Wild birds are likely to have contracted the strain, given their proximity to the farms with the HPAI H5N8 viruses. Chicken owners and farmers are encouraged to prevent contact of their chickens with wild birds as much as possible:

“Increased surveillance in wild birds, commercial chickens and backyard chickens is continuing. Chicken owners, farmers and the public should remain vigilant and all cases of high mortality in chickens and other birds should be reported to the nearest State veterinarian.”

The outbreaks are similar to the viruses isolated from Zimbabwe in June 2017 and from Egypt in 2016, and people are being advised to avoid events like poultry auctions or shows which group together plenty of chickens.