Outbreak | Bizcommunity

Outbreak | Bizcommunity

News

Bird flu vaccines approved for South African poultry

Agriculture

Bird flu vaccines approved for South African poultry

3 Jun 2026

SA steps up FMD response to safeguard livestock exports

Agriculture

SA steps up FMD response to safeguard livestock exports

2 Jun 2026

A health worker is dressed up in personal protective equipment (PPE) at the Evangelical Medical Centre as agencies intensify efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, in Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo. Image credit: Reuters/Gradel Muyisa Mumbere

Infectious Diseases

CEPI's $60m speeds up race to develop Ebola Bundibugyo vaccine

Jennifer Rigby, Mariam Sunny and Julie Steenhuysen 2 Jun 2026

The Golden Pen for Freedom. Source: Wan-Ifra.

Media Freedom

AP, Reuters and AFP to accept Wan-Ifra honour for Gaza coverage

29 May 2026

Source: Reuters.

Infectious Diseases

Congo’s Ebola outbreak spirals faster than global response

Jennifer Rigby, Aaron Ross, Olivia Le Poidevin, Clement Bonnerot and Silvia Aloisi 29 May 2026

Update: Countries tighten travel measures following Ebola outbreak

Travel

Update: Countries tighten travel measures following Ebola outbreak

Mirko Miorelli, Alexander Klyve Gudbrandsen and Arda Dipova 2 Jun 2026

Source: Reuters.

Banking

AfDB expects Africa's economic growth to slow to 4.2% due to the Middle East crisis

Duncan Miriri 27 May 2026

WHO workers mobilised 4.7 tonnes of essential medical supplies and emergency kits to support the affected regions in response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, Kenya. Image credit: World Health Organisation/Handout via Reuters

Infectious Diseases

Gates Foundation commits $15m to Ebola response as WHO suspects 900 cases

25 May 2026

The World Health Organisation’s (WHO) African Regional Certification Commission declared South Africa polio-free in 2019. Image credit: , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Public Health

NICD detects 2 polio virus strains in Cape Town wastewater

22 May 2026

Seynabou Diop works at a station in a laboratory where the hantavirus genome was sequenced from the April 2026 outbreak, at Institut Pasteur in Dakar, Senegal. Image credit: Reuters/Ricci Shryock

Infectious Diseases

Hantavirus in Africa: why climate change, rats and weak surveillance are worrying scientists

Wolfgang Preiser, Carla Mavian, Cheryl Baxter, Richard Lessells and Tulio de Oliveira 22 May 2026

A health worker takes the temperature of a woman passing through the Kanyaruchinya checkpoint, as authorities and aid agencies intensify efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain, in the northern entry into the city of Goma, North Kivu province, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Image credit: Reuters/Arlette Bashizi

Infectious Diseases

Stellies leads efforts to curb Ebola outbreak as WHO warns of escalation

21 May 2026

A Congolese health worker checks the temperature to screen a traveller at the Grande Barrier border following confirmation of an Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain, at the border crossing point between Congo and Rwanda, in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. Image credit: Reuters/Arlette Bashizi

Infectious Diseases

Cross-border Ebola threat sparks Africa CDC alert as SA urged vigilance

19 May 2026

Workers stand guard at the gate of the Kibuli Muslim Hospital, where a Congolese man died of the Ebola Bundibugyo virus in Kibuli suburb of Kampala, Uganda. Image credit: Reuters/Abubaker Lubowa

Infectious Diseases

Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda triggers WHO emergency alert

Disha Mishra and Akanksha Khushi 18 May 2026

Passengers from the cruise ship MV Hondius, which was affected by a hantavirus outbreak, arrive to take a plane to the Netherlands, at Tenerife Sur airport, Canary Islands, Spain. Image credit: Reuters/Pedro Nunes

Infectious Diseases

Western Cape woman tests negative for hantavirus as WHO cases rise

Charlotte Van Campenhout and Victoria Waldersee 13 May 2026

A US passenger from the cruise ship MV Hondius, affected by a hantavirus outbreak, is instructed by personnel after disembarking a boat at the port of Granadilla de Abona, in Tenerife, Spain. Image credit: Reuters/Hannah McKay

Infectious Diseases

SA identifies 97 contacts tied to MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak

12 May 2026

People from the cruise ship MV Hondius, affected by a hantavirus outbreak, are transferred by boat to the port after disembarking, at the port of Granadilla de Abona, in Tenerife, Spain. Image credit: Reuters/Hannah McKay

Infectious Diseases

Cruise evacuees face 42-day quarantine to contain hantavirus spread

Corina Pons and Victoria Waldersee 11 May 2026

A drone view of the cruise ship MV Hondius, carrying passengers suspected of having cases of hantavirus on board, leaves Praia, Cape Verde. Image credit: Reuters/Stringer

Infectious Diseases

Western Cape monitors 4 contacts linked to hantavirus outbreak

8 May 2026

SA traces Airlink passengers after cruise-linked hantavirus case

Travel

SA traces Airlink passengers after cruise-linked hantavirus case

7 May 2026

A person in protective clothing walks next to an ambulance during an evacuation operation of suspected hantavirus patients, following an outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius, in Praia, Cape Verde. Image credit: Reuters/Danilson Sequeira

Infectious Diseases

South Africa traces 62 contacts after fatal Andes hantavirus found

7 May 2026

A boat beside the cruise ship MV Hondius anchored off Cape Verde port, on the day sick passengers were evacuated by boat from the cruise ship, in Praia Port, Cape Verde, in this screengrab obtained from a video. Image credit: Reuters TV via Reuters

Infectious Diseases

NICD confirms rare human-to-human Andes hantavirus in MV Hondius passengers

6 May 2026

Steenhuisen unveils FMD vaccine push, Brazil deal and KZN restriction lift

Agriculture

Steenhuisen unveils FMD vaccine push, Brazil deal and KZN restriction lift

6 May 2026

Cruise ship MV Hondius docked at the port in Praia, Cape Verde, with passengers not allowed off the ship, while health authorities investigated suspected hantavirus cases aboard the vessel. Picture taken with a mobile phone. Image credit: Reuters/Stringer TPX Images of the Day

Infectious Diseases

WHO says public risk low as suspected hantavirus delays Cape Verde docking

Olivia Le Poidevin, Toby Sterling, Anthony Deutsch and Charlotte Van Campenhout 5 May 2026

Image credit: , , via Wikimedia Commons

Infectious Diseases

SA monitors hantavirus case linked to suspected cruise ship outbreak

4 May 2026

We won the war against these diseases, then we stopped showing up

Infectious Diseases

We won the war against these diseases, then we stopped showing up

Issued by Medshield 29 Apr 2026

Western Cape sees FMD stabilisation, but vigilance urged

Agriculture

Western Cape sees FMD stabilisation, but vigilance urged

23 Apr 2026

BM Foods face R1m fine after Listeria detected in Deli Hummus range

Regulatory

BM Foods face R1m fine after Listeria detected in Deli Hummus range

15 Apr 2026

Mobile cold chain unit deployed to support FMD vaccine rollout

Agriculture

Mobile cold chain unit deployed to support FMD vaccine rollout

8 Apr 2026

Image source: onlyyouqj from

Cargo & Storage

Air cargo demand soars in February 2026

2 Apr 2026

UP researchers innovate handheld detection device that could transform TB screening

Higher Education

UP researchers innovate handheld detection device that could transform TB screening

Issued by University of Pretoria 26 Mar 2026

WCape ramps up FMD vaccination with 100,000 new doses

Agriculture

WCape ramps up FMD vaccination with 100,000 new doses

11 Mar 2026

Source: Archive |

Agribusiness

SA agriculture posts 17.4% GDP growth overcoming obstacles

Paul Makube 11 Mar 2026

Government to fund national FMD vaccination programme

Agriculture

Government to fund national FMD vaccination programme

5 Mar 2026

Source: Mark Stebnicki via

Agribusiness

#Budget2026: Biosecurity and strategic investment missing from fiscal plan, say AgriSA

27 Feb 2026

Western Cape ramps up FMD vaccination drive

Agriculture

Western Cape ramps up FMD vaccination drive

23 Feb 2026

Food inflation steady at 4.4% despite rising meat prices in January 2026

Agribusiness

Food inflation steady at 4.4% despite rising meat prices in January 2026

19 Feb 2026

SA sets benchmark for global poultry production efficiency

Agro-processing

SA sets benchmark for global poultry production efficiency

12 Feb 2026

Health Dept. assures SA there is "no immediate risk" of Nipah virus

Infectious Diseases

Health Dept. assures SA there is "no immediate risk" of Nipah virus

2 Feb 2026

South Africa maps out 10-year path to contain FMD disease

Agriculture

South Africa maps out 10-year path to contain FMD disease

15 Jan 2026

SA beef sector faces volatility amid rising prices and disease pressures

Agriculture

SA beef sector faces volatility amid rising prices and disease pressures

24 Dec 2025

Source: Karamo via

Agriculture

Surging meat prices put a damper on December braais

Paul Makube 18 Dec 2025

From reactive to strategic - Partnering and collaborating for a sustainable future in the meat trade

ESG

From reactive to strategic - Partnering and collaborating for a sustainable future in the meat trade

Issued by AMIE 15 Dec 2025

National vaccination of cattle a good move

Agriculture

National vaccination of cattle a good move

Wandile Sihlobo 15 Dec 2025

FMD outbreak: Minister Steenhuisen ramps up national response

Agriculture

FMD outbreak: Minister Steenhuisen ramps up national response

2 Dec 2025

Rainbow Chicken’s Added Value division turns 20 – 2 decades of flavour and growth

FMCG

Rainbow Chicken’s Added Value division turns 20 – 2 decades of flavour and growth

Issued by Rainbow Chicken 17 Oct 2025

Image credit: Unicef South Africa/2014/Schermbrucker

Public Health

27.6% drop in Western Cape infant immunisations risks outbreaks

16 Oct 2025

DFFE White Paper Deviates From 2022 Initial Draft

Environment & Natural Resources

DFFE White Paper Deviates From 2022 Initial Draft

Issued by FOUR PAWS 3 Jul 2023

Elevated meat prices remain a drag on food inflation

Agriculture

Elevated meat prices remain a drag on food inflation

Paul Makube 19 Sep 2025

Another strong quarter as agriculture GDP surges 2.8% in Q2 2025

Agribusiness

Another strong quarter as agriculture GDP surges 2.8% in Q2 2025

Paul Makube 9 Sep 2025

Image credit: Reuters

Environment & Natural Resources

Landslide devastates village in Darfur, over 1,000 feared dead

3 Sep 2025