A high pathogenic avian flu strain (HPAI) has wiped out hundreds of both domestic and wild birds, since it was first reported in July 2025.
About 100 domestic ducks and geese at three (3) properties, died, with about 15,000 commercial chickens from one property.
The flu has also wiped out nearly 650 seabirds, mostly around Cape Town, including Great White Pelicans near Malmesbury and Hartlaub’s Gulls in the Cape Town area.
These are the first wild bird cases reported in the Western Cape since April 2024 and the first mass mortalities since 2022.
Outbreaks were also confirmed in chickens in the North West and Mpumalanga.
Mary James, Spokesperson of the Department of Agriculture in the Western Cape, said “all birds can be infected, including all domestic poultry species and wild birds. In the Western Cape, we tend to see higher mortality in seabirds like terns and gulls that spend a lot of time close together in big groups, but we also see deaths in raptor species that probably eat infected birds and in a variety of other species.”
Authorities say while there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission and 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.”
Consumers can be assured that poultry products from grocery stores are safe for consumption, but it is important to report suspected outbreaks in poultry to the local State Veterinarian immediately.
The number of fatalities decreased around November, in previous cases of similar outbreaks.