CAPE TOWN, June 6 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen has announced the country's first-ever mass poultry vaccination campaign to protect local flocks against avian influenza.
In a statement issued by the Department of Agriculture on Thursday, Steenhuisen also revealed that the department ordered vaccines to combat foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).
According to him, high-risk areas and commercial flocks will be prioritized to prevent further spread of the virus and reduce the need for culling.
"We have secured vaccine supply, ensured cold chain capacity, and are building in traceability and reporting mechanisms as part of a wider preparedness strategy," he said.
In addition, 50 animal health technicians have been contracted to support the vaccination rollout. Their induction and refresher training is set to begin next week.
Providing an update on the FMD outbreak in the country, Steenhuisen said the agriculture department had ordered vaccines specifically for KwaZulu-Natal, the most heavily affected area, while assessments, including forward and backward tracing of the Gauteng outbreak, are ongoing.
More than 900,000 vaccine doses have been ordered, with the first batch expected to arrive next week, he added. ■
