Latest news with #WesternCapeDepartmentofAgriculture
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Health
- The Citizen
Video: Seal acts strange, bites fisherman in Mossel Bay
An angler was attacked on Dana Bay on Friday after a Cape fur seal appeared on the rocks and started attacking anglers' equipment. Roger Constance (58) was bitten on the leg and ankle in the process. He has since received treatment against rabies at the Mossel Bay Provincial Hospital. The public is warned to be careful around any seals on the beach, whether they seem aggressive or not. The Stranded Marine Animal Rescue Team advises that the public keeps a safe distance when they spot any seals and to report them to 072 227 4715. Watch video of the seal here: Meanwhile, a report by the agriculture department reads that the rabies outbreak most likely started with a jackal bite and are here to stay reports George Herald. While there is no way to know for sure how patient zero got infected, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture's head of communication, Mary James, said the most likely explanation was that a rabid jackal had bitten a seal somewhere on the Namibian coast. From there, seal-to-seal transmission likely took place. 'Jackals are known to predate on seal pups along the Namibian cost, and researchers have taken photographs and videos of them biting seals, as well as getting in skirmishes with adult seals protecting their young,' she said. The June 2024 outbreak marked the first time rabies had been recorded in South African Cape fur seals. With eradication of the virus in large wildlife populations being very difficult and using oral vaccines not being a feasible option for seals (because they don't normally scavenge for food), James said rabies in seals is just something we'll have to live with for the time being. Read original story on
IOL News
6 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
Bird flu outbreak in Western Cape: What you need to know to protect poultry and wildlife
Authorities urge poultry farmers and the public to take precautions as a new bird flu outbreak affects both domestic and wild birds in the Western Cape. Image: FILE The Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) has confirmed a new outbreak of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI), or 'bird flu', in the province, urging poultry farmers and the public to take urgent precautions. The department said the latest case was detected in farmed ducks near Paarl in early July, with associated chickens 'humanely culled voluntarily to prevent further spread.' Recent outbreaks have also been confirmed in chickens in North West and Mpumalanga provinces. In addition to poultry infections, HPAI has been responsible for mortalities in Great White Pelicans near Malmesbury and Hartlaub's Gulls in the Cape Town area, the first wild bird cases reported in the Western Cape since April 2024 and the first mass mortalities since 2022. Avian influenza is a viral disease that primarily affects birds and can cause neurological symptoms such as twitching or seizures. 'Infected wild birds may appear unusually tame, lose their fear of humans, or exhibit neurological signs,' the WCDoA said. The virus spreads via the droppings and bodily fluids of infected birds, through direct contact or contaminated materials. Although overseas cases have shown that some mammals and a small number of humans can contract the virus after close contact with infected birds, there is 'currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission'. 'While the risk of human infection is low, contact with sick and dead birds should be avoided. Do not touch or transport sick or dead wild birds without appropriate protective clothing and rather report to the responsible local authority,' the department said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The WCDoA assured consumers that poultry products from grocery stores are safe for consumption but stressed that avian influenza is a controlled disease under the Animal Diseases Act, 35 of 1984. All suspected poultry outbreaks must be reported to the local State Veterinarian immediately. The public is also urged to report unusual numbers of sick or dead wild birds. 'This would be approximately three or more for seabirds, but fewer for solitary species like birds of prey,' the department said. For poultry farmers, the department advised strict biosecurity measures, including restricting farm access to anyone who has had contact with poultry in the past 48 hours, keeping flocks away from wild birds, and disinfecting vehicles and footwear when entering or leaving poultry houses. 'Together, through vigilance and cooperation, we can help prevent the further spread of avian influenza and protect our birds, our poultry industry and communities,' the department said. Cape Times
IOL News
7 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
New bird flu outbreak confirmed in Western Cape: Urgent precautions advised
Authorities urge poultry farmers and the public to take precautions as a new bird flu outbreak affects both domestic and wild birds in the Western Cape. Image: Supplied The Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) has confirmed a new outbreak of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI), or "bird flu," in the province. They urge poultry farmers and the public to take immediate precautions. The latest case was found in farmed ducks near Paarl in early July, leading to the voluntary culling of associated chickens to prevent further spread. Recent outbreaks have also been confirmed in chickens in North West and Mpumalanga provinces. In addition to poultry infections, HPAI has been responsible for mortalities in Great White Pelicans near Malmesbury and Hartlaub's Gulls in the Cape Town area, the first wild bird cases reported in the Western Cape since April 2024 and the first mass mortalities since 2022. Avian influenza is a viral disease that primarily affects birds and can cause neurological symptoms such as twitching or seizures. 'Infected wild birds may appear unusually tame, lose their fear of humans, or exhibit neurological signs,' the WCDoA said. The virus spreads via the droppings and bodily fluids of infected birds, through direct contact or contaminated materials. Although overseas cases have shown that some mammals and a small number of humans can contract the virus after close contact with infected birds, there is 'currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission'. 'While the risk of human infection is low, contact with sick and dead birds should be avoided. Do not touch or transport sick or dead wild birds without appropriate protective clothing and rather report to the responsible local authority,' the department said. The WCDoA assured consumers that 'poultry products from grocery stores are safe for consumption' but stressed that avian influenza is a controlled disease under the Animal Diseases Act, 35 of 1984. All suspected poultry outbreaks must be reported to the local State Veterinarian immediately. The public is also urged to report unusual numbers of sick or dead wild birds. 'This would be approximately 3 or more for seabirds, but fewer for solitary species like birds of prey,' the department said. For poultry farmers, the department advised strict biosecurity measures, including restricting farm access to anyone who has had contact with poultry in the past 48 hours, keeping flocks away from wild birds, and disinfecting vehicles and footwear when entering or leaving poultry houses. 'Together, through vigilance and cooperation, we can help prevent the further spread of avian influenza and protect our birds, our poultry industry and communities,' the department said. Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel. Cape Argus
The South African
05-08-2025
- Health
- The South African
New bird flu outbreak confirmed in this province
The Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) has confirmed a fresh outbreak of high-pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI), commonly known as bird flu. Officials detected the virus in farmed ducks near Paarl in early July. The farm owners voluntarily culled the chickens to prevent the disease from spreading. Authorities have recently reported cases in chickens in the North West and Mpumalanga provinces. Avian influenza is a contagious viral disease that mainly affects birds, but in rare cases can also infect mammals and humans through direct contact with infected birds. The department noted that HPAI has also caused deaths in wild bird species in the Western Cape. These include Great White Pelicans near Malmesbury and Hartlaub's Gulls in Cape Town. These are the first confirmed wild bird cases in the province since April 2024 and the first mass deaths since 2022. 'Infected wild birds may appear unusually tame, lose fear of humans, or show neurological signs like twitching or seizures,' said the WCDoA. Health officials say there is no evidence that the virus is spreading between humans. Authorities urge people to avoid handling sick or dead wild birds without protective gear. People should report suspected cases to local authorities. 'While the risk of human infection is low, contact with sick and dead birds should be avoided,' the department said. 'Do not transport dead birds; report sightings to your local authority instead.' The WCDoA reassured the public that poultry products sold in stores remain safe for consumption. The authorities handle the outbreak under the Animal Diseases Act. Authorities urge poultry farmers to step up biosecurity. This includes: Restricting farm access to those who have had poultry contact in the past 48 hours Preventing contact between farm birds and wild birds Disinfecting all vehicles and footwear entering poultry houses People must immediately report all suspected poultry outbreaks to a State Veterinarian. 'Through vigilance and cooperation, we can help stop the spread of bird flu and protect our birds, poultry industry, and communities,' the department said. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
05-08-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Bird flu outbreak threatens poultry and wildlife in Western Cape
Authorities urge poultry farmers and the public to take precautions as a new bird flu outbreak affects both domestic and wild birds in the Western Cape. Image: Supplied The Western Cape Department of Agriculture (WCDoA) has confirmed a new outbreak of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI), or 'bird flu', in the province, urging poultry farmers and the public to take urgent precautions. The department said the latest case was detected in farmed ducks near Paarl in early July, with associated chickens 'humanely culled voluntarily to prevent further spread.' Recent outbreaks have also been confirmed in chickens in North West and Mpumalanga provinces. In addition to poultry infections, HPAI has been responsible for mortalities in Great White Pelicans near Malmesbury and Hartlaub's Gulls in the Cape Town area, the first wild bird cases reported in the Western Cape since April 2024 and the first mass mortalities since 2022. Avian influenza is a viral disease that primarily affects birds and can cause neurological symptoms such as twitching or seizures. 'Infected wild birds may appear unusually tame, lose their fear of humans, or exhibit neurological signs,' the WCDoA said. The virus spreads via the droppings and bodily fluids of infected birds, through direct contact or contaminated materials. Although overseas cases have shown that some mammals and a small number of humans can contract the virus after close contact with infected birds, there is 'currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission'. 'While the risk of human infection is low, contact with sick and dead birds should be avoided. Do not touch or transport sick or dead wild birds without appropriate protective clothing and rather report to the responsible local authority,' the department said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading The WCDoA assured consumers that 'poultry products from grocery stores are safe for consumption' but stressed that avian influenza is a controlled disease under the Animal Diseases Act, 35 of 1984. All suspected poultry outbreaks must be reported to the local State Veterinarian immediately. The public is also urged to report unusual numbers of sick or dead wild birds. 'This would be approximately 3 or more for seabirds, but fewer for solitary species like birds of prey,' the department said. For poultry farmers, the department advised strict biosecurity measures, including restricting farm access to anyone who has had contact with poultry in the past 48 hours, keeping flocks away from wild birds, and disinfecting vehicles and footwear when entering or leaving poultry houses. 'Together, through vigilance and cooperation, we can help prevent the further spread of avian influenza and protect our birds, our poultry industry and communities,' the department said. IOL News
