Agriculture Dept: Bird flu outbreak being monitored
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development says it's monitoring an outbreak of avian flu in the country.
Some 60 cases of the H5 and H7 viruses have been reported.
The department's Reggie Ngcobo says three of them were picked up in KZN.
"With regards to H7 Gauteng province is the hardest hit, while with H5 Western Cape is the hardest hit.
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"The number of the newly detected H7 and H5 PCR [Polymerase Chain Reaction] positive farms are increasing and industries thus requested, to ensure the utmost bio security on poultry farming to reduce the risk of introduction."
The department says efforts to stem the spread of avian influenza have led to the culling of over a million chickens.
