Fast-food giant KFC has temporarily closed all of its restaurants in Lesotho due to the severe outbreak of bird flu in neighboring South Africa.

The decision to suspend operations follows the Lesotho government’s ban on all poultry imports from South Africa, a major supplier of KFC’s chicken, a key ingredient in its world-famous fried chicken. KFC sources its chicken from certified farms in South Africa, which adhere to strict bird flu prevention measures. However, the ongoing crisis in South Africa has disrupted the supply chain.

The outbreak that has plagued its neighbor, South Africa, has significantly impacted Lesotho for several months. South Africa has been struggling to control the spread of bird flu, resulting in the culling of over seven million egg-laying hens, constituting 20-30% of the country’s poultry stock.

The severity of the outbreak also prompted neighboring Mozambique to cull approximately 45,000 infected hens imported from South Africa, highlighting the regional crisis.

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The bird flu outbreak has led to widespread consequences, causing shortages of both eggs and chicken meat in multiple southern African countries. KFC Lesotho is committed to resolving this supply chain disruption and assures its loyal customers that its restaurants will soon be back in operation.