Bird Flu Watch: Mossel Bay, Cape Town Africa

On July 3, 2006, an outbreak of bird flu from an ostrich farm was detected near Mossel Bay, Western Cape, placing the farm under quarantine and all 60 ostriches killed. The virus was identified as the H5N2 strain and is not known to infect humans, unlike the H5N1 virus that has caused disease in humans in Asia, Europe and North Africa.

The European Union has banned imports of ostriches, emus and their meat from two districts in South Africa because of the outbreak. South Africa has also banned exports from the areas.

But just a day after South African health authorities declared the outbreak is contained, there’s BREAKING NEWS July 19 that the virus has spread to a second farm adjacent to where it was first detected. This prompted a 20km-radius check to find if the infection has spread, a second round of tests to double check that the virus has been eradicated, and the culling of more than 3000 ostriches.

A temporary ban on the movement of ostriches and all types of domestic poultry, through, within, into and out of the affected area is also in place and is being monitored on all the major roads to prevent the spread of the disease.

The EU ban is still in place and will be lifted only if the virus is eradicated, which authorities hope will be not later than November of this year.

[Sources: SABCNews; CapeTimes]

Tags: Africa, bird flu, outbreak