Avian Influenza: H5 and H7 outbreak update report:
2.1 Overview of the new HPAI H5 event
In view of the sequencing data that became available in April 2023, indicating an introduction of a new strain of
HPAI H5N1 in November 2022 in the Free State Province, it was decided to report any future HPAI H5 outbreaks
as new events with the WOAH.
2.2 Overview of the new HPAI H5 poultry event
The last reported outbreak of HPAI H5 in commercial chickens in the Western Cape Province was during January
2022, while the last reported in the country was during September 2022. The index case of the new HPAI H5
poultry event has a start date of 18 April 2023 and was detected in poultry layers in the Swartland Local
Municipality within the Western Cape Province. A total of ten (n=10) outbreaks were reported to WOAH as part
of the new HPAI H5 poultry event – seven outbreaks in the Western Cape Province and three outbreaks in
KwaZulu-Natal Province. The affected local municipalities in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces are
represented in Table 1 below. Outbreaks that were resolved are striked through. Five (n=5) of the outbreaks
were resolved.
Another two poultry locations in KwaZulu-Natal Province tested positive for HPAI H5 on PCR. We are awaiting
the emergency reports.