Bird flu hits South Africa

2004-08-04 08:35

Kupido Baron

Port Elizabeth - Several ostriches in the Eastern Cape have died of bird flu, also known as the Avian Influenza Virus. This has led to fears that the type of avian flu that has already claimed human lives elsewhere in the world is now spreading in South Africa.

Stringent measures have been put into place to prevent the virus spreading from the Eastern Cape to other parts of the country.

The affected farms in the Bedford, Middleton, Kommadagga and Somerset East districts have been placed under quarantine and a ban has been placed on the transport of ostriches from the Eastern Cape to the Western Cape.

Meanwhile, authorities are anxiously awaiting the results of test that will determine whether this strain of the virus could affect people. Samples were taken from the dead ostriches and sent on Monday to the veterinary institute at Onderstepoort for analysis.

The national department of agriculture and the Eastern Cape director of veterinary services, doctor Luba Mrwebi, confirmed that the ostriches died of bird flu, also known as the Avian Influenza Virus.

Should the European Union place a ban on the export of ostrich products, it could paralyse the industry countrywide. About 25% of South Africa's ostrich production take place in the Eastern Cape and 75% in the Western Cape.

The South African Ostrich Chamber of Business said on Tuesday that South Africa is a world leader in the ostrich industry and the local industry contributes about R1.2bn to the country's export earnings every year.

Report any symptoms of avian flu

The chamber and the national department of agriculture asked producers to report any symptoms of avian flu to the state veterinarian in the relevant district immediately.

Farmers said on Tuesday that they were very uncertain at this stage.

"We do not know if our health will be negatively affected by this and are waiting for answers from the department," a farmer from Somerset East said.

Segoati Mahlangu, spokesperson for the Eastern Cape department of agriculture, said the national department was informed about the ostrich death on Sunday.

Avian flu can be transferred to humans in two ways - directly from bird or virus-infected environments or indirectly through a carrier such as a pig. The symptoms of bird flu in people vary from typical flu symptoms to eye infections and pneumonia. About 20 people died in Asia earlier this year after being infected.

A delegation from the department will meet with the affected farmers in Wednesday, Mahlangu said.

The previous outbreak of the disease in South Africa was in 1993. The disease follows cycles of between seven and 14 years.

- Die Burger