RAY SMUTS THE DIPLOMAT was in deadly earnest when he declared birds do not require passports to go wherever they desire; such is the dilemma as scores of wild birds, many possibly infected by the deadly H5N1 avian influenza strain, trim their wings in preparation for the annual migration from Europe to the warm climes of Africa. Two years ago, H5N1 led to more than 62 deaths in Asia and the culling of millions of birds but fears are very real that a potential outbreak this year could have far more serious consequences. The disease has already been detected in South East Asia, Russia, Turkey, Romania, and even England where an imported South American parrot succumbed to the disease while in quarantine. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation believes East Africa in particular might be poorly prepared to deal with the disease and that the risk of it spreading to Africa and the Middle East has markedly increased. The South African poultry and ostrich industries have given the assurance locally produced meat is absolutely safe. The industries have been advised by the agriculture ministry to follow strict biosecurity measures to prevent avian influenza being contracted. That having been said, South Africa, along with at least a dozen other African and Indian Ocean Island countries, have banned poultry imports.
