New outbreaks of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of bird flu have been confirmed on two poultry farms in South Africa, marking the first reported cases since September 2024. The alert, issued by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) on 2 June 2025, has reignited concern for the nation’s recovering poultry industry.
According to South African authorities, 1,150 birds have died in the latest outbreaks. This includes 300 birds on a farm in Tswaing, North West province and 850 in Mkhondo, Mpumalanga province. The return of the virus has sparked renewed anxiety within the industry, which lost nearly a third of its national chicken flock during a devastating wave of infections in 2023.
The outbreaks come amid criticism of the pace and effectiveness of South Africa’s government vaccination programme. The poultry sector, already on edge, has been wary of a potential resurgence especially given the global uptick in H5N1 activity. Internationally, the virus has continued to impact poultry production, with Brazil as one of the world’s top exporters reporting its first-ever commercial farm case earlier this year and the United States continuing to manage widespread infections.
As global biosecurity concerns mount, South Africa’s latest cases are a stark reminder of the challenges in managing avian influenza and protecting both animal and food security.
