Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is no longer just a concern for farmers. Rapid spread across the United States and Europe has intensified calls for widespread poultry vaccination in South Africa.
The virus, which primarily affects wild aquatic birds such as ducks and geese, can spread quickly to domestic poultry like chickens and turkeys, often with fatal consequences. Humans are rarely infected, but close contact with infected birds or contaminated environments—through inhalation of droplets or touching contaminated surfaces—can pose a risk, especially on farms.
In 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the A (H5N1) strain had spread to dairy cattle in the United States. Several dairy workers became infected after contact with sick cows or contaminated raw milk, highlighting the virus’s troubling expansion into mammals.
Health experts continue to monitor the situation closely, urging caution in high-exposure settings and reinforcing the importance of biosecurity measures in poultry and livestock operations.
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