KFC closes its branches in Lesotho due to avian flu in South Africa

KFC is shutting down all its restaurants in Lesotho because there is a serious bird flu outbreak in nearby South Africa.

The government of Lesotho has stopped allowing any poultry to be brought into the country. This decision has greatly affected KFC’s ability to get chicken for their restaurants.

KFC says the chickens it uses are from farms in South Africa that are checked and confirmed to not have bird flu.

Lesotho is a country with many mountains and it is completely surrounded by South Africa.

South Africa has been working hard to control bird flu for several months and has killed more than seven million egg-laying hens – which is about 20-30% of all the hens in the country.

Last week, Mozambique killed around 45,000 sick chickens it had brought in from South Africa.

Namibia has also forbidden the bringing in of poultry from South Africa since September.

The outbreak has caused a lack of eggs and chicken meat in a few countries in southern Africa.

KFC Lesotho said they are working to find a solution and promised customers that their restaurants will reopen soon.