Bird Flu Triggers Cape Ostrich Cull

South Africa will today begin culling some 30,000 ostriches to control an outbreak of avian flu in the Eastern Cape.

Police and soldiers have set up roadblocks in a 20-mile radius around Middleton in the Somerset East area, to prevent exposed birds being transported around the country.

The outbreak has killed 1,500 ostriches on two large ranches in the Eastern Cape.

Officials have ordered the extermination of all potentially exposed birds to prevent the virus from spreading and harming the ostrich industry, which is worth some £108m a year. They have also halted exports of all poultry products until the outbreak is over.

Hong Kong and Singapore announced bans on all South African poultry products.

South Africa's ostrich business has been hit by the flu H5N2, which is different from the H5N1 strain that killed 24 people and millions of chickens when it swept through Asia earlier this year.

"The virus is dangerous for poultry, not for humans," said an agriculture department spokesman.

He said the cause of the outbreak is being investigated and affected farmers would be compensated.

South Africa's ostrich farming industry has grown rapidly in recent years because the large bird's meat is very low in fat popular with dieters and is exported across the world.

Chefs are less impressed. They say the bird meat is relatively tasteless and advise marinating it before cooking.