South Africa's Western Cape confirms bird flu outbreaks, urges public vigilance

Cape Town, Aug 2 Authorities in South Africa's Western Cape have confirmed new outbreaks of bird flu in the province, urging the public to "stay alert," but "not alarmed."

"The Western Cape Department of Agriculture wishes to alert poultry farmers and the general public to new outbreaks of high pathogenicity avian influenza, commonly referred to as bird flu," said the department in a statement released on Friday night.

Recent outbreaks have been confirmed in chickens in the North West and Mpumalanga provinces, along with a single outbreak in the Western Cape, detected in farmed ducks near Paarl in early July, the statement said, adding that the affected ducks, along with related flocks of chickens, were voluntarily and humanely culled to prevent further spread of the disease, Xinhua news agency reported.

In addition to poultry cases, bird flu has caused fatalities among great white pelicans in the Cape Town area. "These are the first wild bird cases reported in the Western Cape since April 2024 and the first mass mortalities since 2022," the statement said.

While the situation is concerning, "consumers can be assured that poultry products from grocery stores are safe for consumption," it added.

Avian influenza is a viral disease that primarily affects birds. While the virus has occasionally infected mammals and humans abroad, the department emphasised that there is currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission and that the risk to humans remains low.

Nevertheless, officials advised the public not to handle sick or dead wild birds without proper protective gear and to report any unusual bird deaths to local authorities.

"The Western Cape government urges the participation of the public and the agricultural sector in preventing the spread of this disease in poultry," it said. "It is important to report suspected outbreaks in poultry to the local State Veterinarian immediately."

The department also urged farmers and poultry producers to apply strict biosecurity measures to reduce the risk of infection from wild or domestic birds.

"Together, through vigilance and cooperation, we can help prevent the further spread of avian influenza and protect our birds, our poultry industry, and communities," it added.

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