Bird flu: Emergency measures

2004-08-05 08:29

Nelia Richter & Cindy Preller

George - Preliminary tests show that the avian flu (also known as bird flu), which broke out in the Eastern Cape, is caused by the life-threatening virus that claimed the lives of more than 20 people in Asia earlier this year.

Western Cape MEC for agriculture Kobus Dowry confirmed this on Wednesday.

Ostrich farmers have already suffered millions of rands in losses. The farmer on whose farm near Middleton the disease first broke out estimates he has lost about R8m.

Although the diagnosis will only be confirmed at the end of this week, emergency measures have been put into place to prevent the disease from spreading to the Western Cape, as this could lead to the European Union placing a ban on South African ostrich products.

Ban on the transport of ostriches

Meanwhile, the first roadblocks on all access roads between the Eastern and Western Cape will be operational as of Thursday. The directorate of veterinary services has already placed a ban on the transport of ostriches, ostrich meat, raw skins, feathers and eggs from the Eastern to the Western Cape.

Traffic police, the defence force, commandos, farm guards and the Eden district municipality met with the state veterinarian, doctor Dempsey de Lange, on Wednesday to discuss the emergency plan.

Meanwhile, the quarantine area around the avian flue infested farm near Middleton in the Eastern Cape was expanded in an urgent attempt to keep the disease at bay.

Agriculture Minister Thoko Didiza visited Bisho on Wednesday for an emergency meeting with, among others, the Eastern Cape MEC for agriculture, Max Mamase.

The national department of agriculture announced after this meeting that nine roadblocks would be erected in the area around farms in the Middleton region.

Everything within a radius of 10km from these farms is under quarantine.

Segoati Mahlangu, spokesperson for the Eastern Cape department of agriculture, said the assistance of state veterinarians countrywide would be called in to examine ostriches.

Emergency plans are ready

An operations centre will be established in Somerset East as soon as possible.

Captain John Fobian, head of disaster management in the Eastern Cape, said emergency plans for this province are ready.

The first diagnosis of samples from the infected ostriches from Middleton, where about 2 000 ostriches have already died, showed the high pathogenic virus, but other laboratories have not confirmed this yet.

The Klein Karoo Group in Oudtshoorn said in a statement that the outbreak of avian flu "was serious cause for concern".

The Western Cape is responsible for 75% of all South Africa's ostrich production and the Eastern Cape for 25%.

Mahlangu did not want to comment on Wednesday on the results of the preliminary tests.

He said the results of the samples, which were also sent to Britain, would not be available before Friday at the earliest.

He said no human lives were in danger at present.

- Die Burger