South Africa is facing a series of outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAG) types H5 and H7, with more than 50 confirmed cases in various regions of the country, according to the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD).
The department has made an urgent appeal to poultry farmers to immediately report any suspicion of the disease to the nearest state veterinarian.
As of September 21, 2023, a total of 50 HPAI H7 outbreaks and 10 HPAI H5 outbreaks have been officially reported.
Gauteng province was most affected by the HPAI H7 outbreak, with an alarming total of 37 confirmed cases. Meanwhile, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and North West have confirmed two cases each, and the Free State has recorded a single case.
The department released the shocking figures: “The total number of chickens that died is 107,705, while the number of chickens slaughtered reached the mark of 1,318,521. This resulted in a devastating loss of 1,426,226 chickens.”
The Western Cape province leads the HPAI H5 outbreak, with a total of seven reported outbreaks. Another three outbreaks of HPAI H5 were identified in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, as announced by the department in an official statement.
The alarming statistics revealed that in the case of GAAP H5, a total of 98,249 chickens succumbed to the disease while 1,156,283 chickens were culled, resulting in a significant loss of 1,254,532 chickens.
Noting the increase in the number of farms with newly detected H7 and H5 PCR positive tests, the department emphasized the importance of the industry in ensuring biosecurity in poultry facilities to reduce the risk of future infections.
As part of its response to the crisis, the department has facilitated the import of fertile eggs for the broiler sector and has expressed openness to considering similar requests for table eggs if presented.
The department is also expediting the transit of fertile eggs to Eswatini, where they will be used in broiler production.
In an initiative aimed at further containing the spread of bird flu, the department met with vaccine registration regulators and agreed to speed up the vaccine registration process. However, he stressed that the safety, effectiveness and quality of vaccines will not be compromised.
Due to concerns that the bird flu virus could mutate and become zoonotic, the department has emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards of quality and effectiveness when choosing vaccines for use in response to the crisis.
“The criteria for administering the vaccines are in the final stages of development, and only farms with strict biosecurity measures and departmental approval will be authorized to vaccinate. Other requirements will include the implementation of surveillance systems for early detection of outbreaks, as well as the mandatory culling of vaccinated birds,” the department said.
The department strongly urged all producers to intensify their on-farm biosecurity measures, with an emphasis on preventing contact with wild birds and their waste, which can be carried on equipment and footwear, posing a substantial risk to the poultry industry.
