South Africa suspends ostrich meat exports
South Africa has suspended exports of ostrich meat to the European Union (EU) after H5N2 avian flu had been detected among birds in the Western Cape.
“Unfortunately, this means that the export of ostrich meat, in accordance with the agreement with the EU, has been suspended until the situation can be resolved,” the department of agriculture, forestry and fisheries said.
It said it had “isolated a highly pathogenic avian influenza, H5N2, by detecting the presence of genetic material for the virus over the weekend.”
The strain is not as dangerous as the H5N1 virus that has killed hundreds of people globally during periodic outbreaks. Earlier this week Hong Kong’s food safety authority barred poultry imports from South Africa.
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