The South African Government is racing to contain a bird flu outbreak at two poultry farms and the same strain - H5- has also infected chickens and wild birds in Johannesburg's East Rand area.
According to a statement by a spokesman for South Africa’s poultry association Colin Steenhuisen, he indicated that the poultry farmer, “sacrificed his chickens for the sake of the local poultry industry to avoid the spread of this flu.”
"We are urging all farmers and citizens to stay on high alert, restrict movement of people and cars in and out of their chicken farms. Employees must also shower in the mornings when they arrive and wear fresh clothes, as this flu quickly spreads,” the statement added.
On this basis, the Ekurhuleni farmer had to kill an estimated 240,000 chickens to prevent the outbreak from spreading to neighboring farms. Moreover, the affiliated site is now under strict quarantine and nearby facilities have vaccinated their birds against infection.
On the other hand, Mozambique, Namibia, and Botswana have banned the import and movement of live poultry, birds, and poultry products from South Africa.
It's noteworthy that the H5 virus is very low-risk for humans, but the economic cost can be significant.
According to health experts, people should avoid touching sick or dead birds, and chicken and eggs are safe to eat if cooked totally and safely, as that kills the virus.
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