Zimbabwe has reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu at a commercial poultry farm in Mashonaland East province, the World Organisation for Animal Health has said.
Some 7,845 animals have been killed while another 75,155 birds were culled, officials have said.
The virus was detected on a farm in Lanark, which is close to a small dam where there are a number of different migratory waterfowl, suspected to be (the) source of infection.
Zimbabwe joins the DRC as countries were they have been reported cases of an outbreak.
Meanwhile
BOTSWANA has banned the importation of poultry products from Zimbabwe following an outbreak of avian influenza.
BY STAFF REPORTER
In a notice yesterday, the Botswana government said it was also cancelling the import permits that had been issued for Zimbabwe’s poultry products.
“The public is informed that an outbreak of avian influenza has been reported in Zimbabwe,” part of the Botswana government notice read.
“As a result, the import of domesticated and wild birds, their products (meat, eggs, feathers etc) and poultry feed from Zimbabwe is banned with immediate effect.
“All import permits issued for importing the listed items are cancelled with immediate effect. The documents are to be returned to the nearest veterinary office.”
On Monday, the Department of Veterinary Services said it had quarantined Irvine’s white meat and egg sub-sector after the country’s largest poultry producers reported an outbreak of avian influenza at its Harare factory.
On its part, Irvine’s said it had culled the entire flock at the site that had been quarantined.
“Independent local and international laboratory tests have confirmed that there is no evidence that the strain of avian flu in the affected birds, which has been detected in other countries, poses any danger to humans and all poultry products may be safely consumed,” the company said.
