Special report: Global fight against bird flu

    JOHANNESBURG, July 6 (Xinhua) -- The European Union placed ban on ostrich imports from two South African districts in Western Cape province, the SA Ostrich Business Chamber (SAOBC) said on Thursday.

    Anton Kruger, chief executive of the SAOBC, said that the EU ban on two ostrich producing districts would not be devastating.

    "We're grateful it's not the entire country. It is the low season for ostrich consumption in Europe so most of the abattoirs are closed for routine maintenance in any case, so the effect will not be that big as it was in 2004," he said.

    The European Union (EU) on Wednesday informed the South African government of the ban after an outbreak of avian influenza was detected in the Western Cape districts of Mossel Bay and Riversdale.

    South Africa's Agriculture department said on Monday an ostrich farm near Mossel Bay was placed under quarantine after the precautionary culling of sixty ostriches suspected of having avian influenza.

    The department said tests at the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute confirmed the H5N2 strain detected near Mossel Bay was similar to the one that South Africa "successfully" eradicated in May 2004. Enditem