Dr Greg Cilliers, a veterinarian and executive board member of the World Veterinary Poultry Association, warns that chicken meat will be scarce in South Africa in the coming weeks due to a shortage of broiler chicks, reports IOL.

The HPAI H7 avian influenza outbreak is devastating, affecting every adult bird in Gauteng and resulting in the egg shortage consumers are now observing at retailers. Cilliers said that the spread of the virus appears to be slowing down, but only because there are no more birds left to infect.

Recovery will depend on the availability of a vaccine, but there is a lengthy timeframe for the entire supply chain to return to normal.

Cilliers said that the government needs to finalize the guidelines for emergency registration of the H7 vaccine and implement a realistic monitoring protocol for vaccinated flocks. The industry is currently facing significant challenges, including the high cost of production and load shedding, making it more vulnerable to cheap imports.