Free vaccination for Newcastle-affected areas

“Newcastle disease is a viral disease of birds that affects both domestic and wild birds, including ostriches. It is preventable by vaccination. The disease is endemic in Botswana where it circulates among backyard chickens as opposed to commercially reared ones as the former are not regularly vaccinated against the disease,” he explained.

He said although the disease is epidemic, sporadic outbreaks occur when weather conditions are favorable to the virus. He stated that the current outbreak started in the southern district from June and later spread to the South East, Kweneng, Central, Kgatleng and North West districts. He also said there were no reported cases in commercial flocks or wild birds because commercial chickens are regularly vaccinated against the disease.