Poultry's Avian Flu may mutate to humans as government dithers on biosecurity, experts warn

Banele Ginindza

The current outbreak of the Asian Influenza virus in poultry may mutate to humans as has been the case in the US with 70 cases reported and one fatality. This was a warning from a microbiologist on Tuesday as the South African government is accused of dithering on a comprehensive poultry vaccination and bio-security drive rather than culling, which was unstainable without compensation. Industry experts said on Tuesday the poultry industry has suffered losses estimated at R1.8 billion due to the culling and associated disruptions. Major poultry producers like Astral Foods have reported significant financial losses, with operating losses reaching R621 million. The outbreak has also hiked prices of eggs, which surged by 19% between September and October 2023 alone, reflecting supply shortages caused by the Avian Influenza outbreaks. At…

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Star South Africa (Digital) - 1 Issue, 2025-03-19

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