General information
Report type: immediate notification
Date of start of the event: 24 Jul 2021
Date of confirmation of the event: 27 Aug 2021
Reason for notification: 1st occurrence in the country
Manifestation of disease: clinical disease
Causal agent: Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
Serotype: H5N1
Nature of diagnosis: clinical, laboratory, necropsy
This event pertains to a defined zone within the country.

Outbreak location: Bokaa, Kgatleng
Date of start of the outbreak: 24 Jul 2021
Epidemiological unit: farm
Total animals affected:
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Killed and disposed of /
Slaughtered or killed for commercial use / Vaccinated
Birds / 25 / 8 / 8 / 17 / 0 / 0
Affected population: exotic breed of chickens (Orpington) reared in a
backyard.

Epidemiology
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection: unknown or
inconclusive
Epidemiological comments: one chicken carcass was submitted by the
farmer directly to Botswana National Veterinary Laboratory for
post-mortem examination on. The farmer mentioned that he
noticed abnormal deaths of his chickens without showing any sickness.
By the time he sent the sample to the laboratory, he had lost 8
chickens out of 25. He indicated that before the sudden deaths, dark
combs were noticed on the chickens.

Control measures at event level
Domestic control measures applied: traceability; surveillance within
containment and or the protection zone; stamping out; quarantine;
official disposal of carcasses, by-products, and waste; official
destruction of animal products; movement control inside the country;
disinfection; control of wildlife reservoirs; ante and post-mortem
inspections

Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type / Species / Outbreaks / Test / Test date /
Result
Botswana National Veterinary Laboratory (NVL) (national laboratory) /
birds / 1 / reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) /
27 Aug 2021 / positive