A number of birds have been culled in KwaZulu-Natal following the detection of the HPAI H5N8 virus – also known as avian influenza – in the province.
Senior executive of the South African Poultry Association Dr Charlotte Nkuna confirmed the case in Vryheid.
“The farm is under quarantine and the birds have been culled,” Nkuna said.
It is unclear at this stage how many of the birds have been put down.
Spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture, Forestries and Fisheries Bomikazi Molapo said the case had been noted on a commercial layer farm in the Abaqulusi Municipality.
KZN Agricultural Union chief executive Sandy Le Marque said farmers in the province were concerned about the virus but were employing disease management controls – as advised by the union – to contain it.
“Farmers are aware of the potential devastation this could wreak on their animals. This is why they are taking the problem seriously,” she said.
Farmers have been advised to observe their birds on a daily basis.
La Marque said migratory water birds were known to introduce the disease to susceptible flocks.
“The virus is shed through faeces, nasal and oral secretions. As a result, the virus can be spread through faecal material (manure), and fomites (objects likely to carry infection) such as equipment and any objects that come from a house where infected birds are kept should be seen as having potential for spreading infection. Humans and vehicles can also spread the infection from site to site.”
Birds showing respiratory distress signs and depression should be monitored.
Bird flu could be suspected if there was a sudden increase in mortality, at times 100%.
“High mortalities in caged birds are experienced. These may be more insidious, but still higher than is normally experienced within a production cycle.”
On Friday last week, the department said South Africa had reported eight further cases of the virus to the World Organisation for Animal Health.
The department said at the time that the new outbreaks brought the total number of outbreaks to 24 since June.
“There were 10 outbreaks in commercial chickens, three in commercial ostrich, five in wild birds, three in birds that were kept as a hobby and three in backyard poultry,” the department said.