Several chicken farms in the Western Cape are on high alert following an outbreak of avian (bird) flu.
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development confirmed that five Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreaks were confirmed in commercial chicken farms in the province.
“All affected farms have been immediately placed under quarantine and no live animals and or birds and eggs are allowed to be removed from the farm. The department would like to reassure consumers that commercial poultry meat and eggs are safe to eat. Care should however be taken when preparing food to avoid other food-borne pathogens," department spokesperson Reggie Ngcobo said in a statement.
Ngcobo said birds infected with HPAI get sick fairly quickly and die.
He explained that, generally, the first sign of sick animals, including birds, is drop in production, meaning that sick birds will produce very few, if any, eggs.
The department said this, together with the added mitigation of placing farms under quarantine, means no eggs from infected properties will make their way to shelves.
“We strongly encourage all poultry farmers including those with birds kept as a hobby or for zoo purposes to adhere to strict biosecurity measures to prevent the introduction of HPAI. We also urge farmers and individuals to report any suspect outbreak to the responsible private or state veterinarian,“ Ngcobo said.
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