Astral Foods Receives Department of Agriculture Approval to Vaccinate Poultry Against Bird Flu in Gauteng; Brazil’s Butantan Starts Human Vaccine Trials

Astral Foods, South Africa's largest poultry producer, has received approval from the Department of Agriculture to begin vaccinating its broiler breeding stock against a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu. The approval follows an 18-month application process and includes strict conditions for the vaccination program, which will initially be implemented at a large breeding farm in Gauteng. This marks South Africa's first-ever poultry vaccination effort aimed at reducing the risk of bird flu outbreaks, as confirmed by Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen. Meanwhile, in Brazil, the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) has authorized the Butantan Institute to start human clinical trials for a vaccine against avian influenza, representing a proactive step to protect the country from a potential pandemic.