Avian flu sees WC authorities collect 1 400 dead birds over weekend

Western Cape authorities along with multiple partners collected about 1 400 dead birds over the past weekend.

This comes after an ongoing outbreak of Avian Influenza amongst wild seabirds. The virus was first detected in wild seabirds in May 2021.

The Western Cape’s Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning MEC, Anton Bredell, suspects that the mass fatalities is due to the beginning of breeding season.

The main hotspots are in the Bergrivier Municipality and Dyer Island in the Overberg.

Bredell says authorities have been working all weekend to clean up suspected outbreaks and remove dead and sick birds in order to prevent the spread of the virus.

“It is critical to prevent the spread of the disease. This means people must not attempt to assist or transport any sick birds. This remains a serious situation with the impact hard felt amongst endangered wild birds particularly cormorants. This is an incurable disease affecting birds, that is not preventative, cannot be treated and is highly contagious to birds.”

The Disaster Management Centre urges the public to be vigilant and report unusual mortalities in any birds to their local municipality, conservation authority or state veterinarian.  Contact details for state veterinarians are available at https://www.elsenburg.com/services-and-programmes/veterinary-services-0#s=Animal-Health-and-Disease-Control

 

Done By: Mitchum George