Avian influenza among wild seabirds in Western Cape

The Western Cape government said they are responding to a suspected outbreak of avian influenza among wild seabirds in the Bergrivier Municipality on the West Coast as well as the Walker Bay area in the Overberg. The public has been urged to not touch the sea birds, and that disaster nodes and Cape Nature were collecting the dead and sick birds.

The Western Cape Disaster Management Centre is currently doing an assessment to determine if the outbreak constitutes a disaster or not.”

Local Government and Environmental Affairs MEC Anton Bredell urged the public to avoid the area and in particular not to collect or touch sick or dead birds.

He said neighbouring municipalities had been alerted and were urged to be cautious and to keep an eye out for the potential spreading of the disease.