S.African chickens hit by ‘worst’ bird flu outbreak

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 22, 2023 (AFP) – South African poultry farmers have warned of attainable hen and egg shortages as they battle what the trade says is the worst fowl flu outbreak ever to hit the nation.

Producer Quantum Meals mentioned on Friday that this yr it had misplaced virtually two million chickens — value a complete of greater than 100 million rand ($5.3 million) — due to the illness.

“The fowl flu outbreak is the worst that South Africa has witnessed,” fellow producer Astral mentioned in a buying and selling replace on Thursday.

“(It) has already prompted quick provides of desk eggs into the market, and it’s anticipated that the provision of poultry meat into the worth chain might be affected negatively within the coming months.”

The outbreak has price it 220 million rand thus far, the corporate mentioned.

One of many continent’s main poultry producers, South Africa reported the primary fowl flu circumstances in business farms in April, in keeping with an trade group.

Earlier this month, the South African Poultry Affiliation (SAPA) mentioned the nation was contending with two completely different strains of the virus, the notorious H5N1 and a brand new pressure recognized as H7N6.

The latter was spreading by means of the northeastern provinces of Mpumalanga and Gauteng “at an alarming charge”, in keeping with Astral.

Chicken flu doesn’t usually infect people. However H5N1 is more and more infecting mammals worldwide, from sea lions in Argentina to foxes in Finland, elevating fears it may go on extra simply to people.

The virus has usually been confined to seasonal outbreaks, however since 2021 circumstances have emerged year-round, and throughout the globe, resulting in what specialists say is the biggest outbreak ever seen.

SAPA mentioned the variety of avian flu circumstances in South Africa this yr was increased than in any yr because the first outbreaks have been reported in business farms in 2017.