SOUTH Africa has suspended all trade in birds and chicken products from Zimbabwe following a report on an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in one of the commercial chicken flocks in Zimbabwe. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) Veterinary Services said it was notified of a bird flu outbreak on Friday, 2 June. The virus has been typed as H5N8.
“South Africa immediately suspended all trade in live birds and poultry, meat, table eggs and other unprocessed poultry products and communicated this to the Zimbabwean Chief Veterinary Officer. South Africa imports very little from Zimbabwe. All importers were immediately notified that their import permits were cancelled. Any permits, which have not been used, should please be returned to the department with immediate effect,” the department said in a statement.
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DAFF has also heightened inspections of all consignments, including all private and public vehicles, at all the country’s ports of entry, especially in and out of Zimbabwe.
The department urged communities to be extremely vigilant, especially in areas of Limpopo that border Zimbabwe, and report any unusual mortality of chickens or other birds to the State Veterinary Services immediately for samples to be collected.
The department encouraged commercial farmers to increase their biosecurity measures on farms, including limiting access to people who might have had contact with birds and chickens outside the farm.
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