South Africa has been hit by a deadly virus, H5N1, which is capable of harming human body drastically. In 2004 and 2006, South Africa was hit by a similar deadly virus - HPAI. The virus was found in 2007 and since then the EU emergency vet team has carried out 12 missions in seven Member State and five countries to control the spread of disease.

It has emerged that last month, the HPAI virus was detected in an ostrich in South Africa. Moreover, it has come to light that HPAI is endangering the local ostrich population which is farmed for meat production. Since the discovery of virus the supply of ostrich to other countries has been prohibited.

In order to solve the growing problem caused by the virus, the European Commission has sent animal health experts to South Africa. The European Union's executive arm has told that although disease has not had any public impact, it had a major effect on animal and could have serious impact upon local rural population.

It has been told that the European experts will help control the disease to limit the risk to other poultry and eventually reduce trade restrictions. The EU experts have said that the current outbreak of HPAI has no association with H5N1 strain of the virus.