27 July 2006
The outbreak of avian influenza in ostriches in the Riversdale district of
the Western Cape province has been brought under control by culling (euthanasia
and disposal of) of 8 000 ostriches. Follow-p investigations show no sign of
disease in the area surrounding the outbreak.
The routine, ongoing surveillance and blood testing has unfortunately led to
the detection of a small number of farms in other areas of the Western and
Eastern Cape provinces where it is suspected that ostriches may have been
exposed to the virus. No signs of disease were observed on these farms.
The results of increased infection pressure in cold, rainy winter months is
not due to the introduction of a new virus and the virus causing the outbreak
is not identical to the H5N2 ostrich isolate responsible for the avian
influenza outbreak in ostriches in the Eastern Cape province in 2004. This
implies that no chronic carrier situation exists in ostriches in South Africa.
The country is also still free of the H5N1 virus that has been diagnosed in the
Far East, Europe and North Africa.
The Department of Agriculture and the provincial Veterinary Services
together with the ostrich industry embarked on an eradication and control
campaign according to international guidelines. The public must please be
understanding and co-operate with movement control measures that they may
encounter. These measures will be communicated by the local press to all
communities involved.
All commercially available ostrich and poultry products remain safe for
human consumption.
Contact: Steve Galane
Tel: (012) 319 7312
Cell: 083 635 7346
E-mail:smais@nda.agric.za
Web: www.nda.agric.za
Issued by: Department of Agriculture
27 July 2006
