Possible outbreak of bird flu in the Western Cape

A possible outbreak of bird flu in the Western Cape is being investigated.

Thirteen outbreaks have occurred in South Africa since June this year‚ in Mpumalanga and Gauteng.

The outbreaks involved seven commercial chicken farms‚ two groups of backyard chickens‚ three sets of wild birds and one group of domestic geese.

Avian influenza is a viral respiratory disease of birds believed to be transmitted by wild migratory birds.

In Southern Africa‚ the H5N8 strain of the disease also affected the poultry industry in Zimbabwe‚ where thousands of commercial birds have died or had to be culled.