South Africa: Intensifying Battle with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Leads to Egg Shortage and Possible Vaccination Program

South Africa is currently facing the worst outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) since 2017 with seven of the nine provinces in the country reporting outbreaks. Although the latest government report indicates that 2.68 million chicks have been culled, the South African Poultry Association (SAPA) is reporting that number exceeds seven million birds since April 2023 and includes approximately five million layers and 2.5 million broilers. The government announced that containment measures to limit the spread of the disease may include vaccination against the relevant strains at select farms, although no specific implementation plan has been released. Namibia has imposed restrictions on South African poultry exports and South African government officials are considering options for increasing imports to avoid potential shortages.