South Africa - Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in poultry 2025

[Lance]

https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/6585

[Pathfinder]

Over 100 000 chickens culled as bird flu returns

By Glenneis Kriel |3 July 2025 | 1:36 pm

The South African poultry industry is once again on high alert following confirmed outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on broiler breeder farms in eMkhondo, Mpumalanga (formerly Piet Retief), and Lichtenburg, North West.


Izaak Breitenbach, general manager of the South African Poultry Association, told Farmer’s Weekly that up to 100 000 birds had been culled on each of the affected farms to contain the spread of this highly contagious disease. No additional outbreaks were reported at the time of publication.

According to Breitenbach, the outbreaks were likely because of primary infections caused by wild birds migrating from the EU and the US, making the industry particularly vulnerable to further flare ups.

“We can contain the disease by culling and limiting the movement of chicken, but it is impossible to manage the wild birds,” he said.

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https://www.farmersweekly.co.za/agri-news/south-africa/over-100-000-chickens-culled-as-bird-flu-returns/