South Africa - H5N1 Bird flu suspected among wild seabirds in Western Cape - October 15, 2021

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.jacarandafm.com/news/new...-western-cape/


Bird flu detected among wild seabirds in Western Cape
Updated Oct. 14, 2021, 5:44 p.m. | By Eva Chipa
Western Cape authorities are responding to a suspected outbreak of avian influenza amongst wild seabirds.

Jason-Brent Styan, who is the spokesperson Local Government, Environmental Affairs in the Western Cape, says a few areas in the province have been identified as hotspots.

“The outbreak is suspected of affecting seabirds in the Bergrivier Municipality on the West Coast as well as the Walker Bay area in Overberg.

“CapeNature have already deployed teams of officials to collect the dead and sick birds. Veterinarians are on scene assisting and officials are following advice provided by Veterinary Services in terms of how to manage the sick birds.”

He adds that the public are urged to avoid the area and not to collect or touch sick or dead birds...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south...-western-cape/

Thousands of seabirds dying from avian flu in Western Cape
There is unfortunately no cure for highly pathogenic Asian avian influenza, and birds have to be humanely euthanised.
By Nica Richards Deputy online news editor
18 Oct 2021 12:50 pm

A highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza (bird flu) has afflicted wild seabirds in the Western Cape, and has already resulted in the deaths of more than 1,500 of birds.

Those most affected, according to the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob), are gulls, as well as cormorants and pelicans.

Sanccob said the H5N1 strain of the highly pathogenic Asian avian influenza (HPAI) virus was first detected in wild birds in the province in May...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/sou...for-avian-flu/

Scores of seabirds dying as Dyer Island becomes new hotspot for avian flu
26 October 2021 - 12:20 By TimesLIVE

The outbreak of avian influenza among wild seabirds in the Western Cape is enduring, with Dyer Island in the Overberg now the major hotspot.

Anton Bredell, the minister for local government, environmental affairs and development planning in the Western Cape, said on Tuesday all efforts are being taken to manage the situation, with the primary focus on responding swiftly to areas where dead and sick birds are found and then implementing a cleanup.

“Dyer Island is an important wild bird breeding colony in the Overberg region. Sadly we continue to find roughly 500 birds per day on the island dying or dead.”...

[Shiloh]

Source: https://ewn.co.za/2021/10/27/bird-fl...can-cormorants


Bird flu strikes endangered Cape cormorants
About 500 are dying every day from avian influenza, but not all beaches are monitored and some corpses may have washed out to sea, officials said.

AFP | about an hour ago

JOHANNESBURG - Bird flu is ravaging South Africa's endangered Cape cormorants, killing as much as 5% t of the world's remaining population, a conservation group said on Wednesday.

"We know that we have over 12,000 dead cormorants so far, which is most likely underreported," said Katta Ludynia, research manager for the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds.

The long-necked birds live along the coast from South Africa to Angola, and they number only 234,000 adults.

About 500 are dying every day from avian influenza, but not all beaches are monitored and some corpses may have washed out to sea, Ludynia said.

The strain of bird flu is not dangerous to humans, but spreads quickly through cormorant colonies.

The deaths include many chicks, as this is the breeding season..

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[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.capetownetc.com/news/avi...-western-cape/

Avian flu outbreak decreasing in the Western Cape
Published by Byron Lukas on October 30, 2021

Western Cape authorities confirmed that the outbreak of Avian Influenza among wild seabirds in the province seems to be under control as the number of dead birds is decreasing.

According to the provincial minister of environmental affairs, Anton Bredell, teams now discover about 400 carcasses a day compared to 700 at the beginning of the crisis...

[Pathfinder]

Deadly disease wreaks havoc in endangered Cape cormorant population

By Tembile Sgqolana
09 Nov 2021
...
James-Brent Styan, spokesman for Anton Bredell, Western Cape MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, said the Western Cape Disaster Management Centre was continuing to manage the ongoing outbreak of avian influenza among seabirds in the province.

“Since October 1, 2021, the total number of recorded dead birds is 18,388, of which 17,926 are Cape cormorants. The area most affected is Dyer Island, where 12,203 dead birds have been reported to date,” he said.

Bredell said the outbreak was not yet over, but the numbers of dying birds were beginning to decline in most regions.

“We haven’t had any reports of the virus spreading further inland or to other unaffected regions, which may suggest that our ongoing interventions have paid off.

“At the moment we’re losing around 100 birds per day, down from around 750 at the peak of the outbreak. The bulk of the deaths are reported on Dyer Island, where 59 Cape Cormorants were found yesterday. At the peak of the outbreak around 500 per day were dying on the island,” he said.
...

https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-11-09-deadly-disease-wreaks-havoc-in-endangered-cape-cormorant-population/

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.news24.com/news24/SouthA...1-000-20211125

3h ago
Western Cape avian flu oubreak sees seabird deaths top 21 000
accreditation
Nicole McCain

More than 21 000 birds have died in a Western Cape avian flu outbreak.
Most of the deaths have been among endangered Cape cormorants.
The spread of infections has slowed, but officials say cases may pick up if not monitored.


More than 20 500 endangered Cape cormorants have died in the Western Cape following an avian flu outbreak.

The outbreak, which was first recorded last month, has seen 21 172 wild seabirds dying. The majority of these birds were endangered Cape cormorants. The worst affected area is Dyer Island off Gansbaai, home to a Cape cormorant breeding colony, where 13 195 deaths have been recorded...

Before the outbreak, there were an estimated 57 000 breeding pairs in South Africa, said Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob) research manager Katta Ludynia...

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