Bird flu continues to spread.

It has already resulted in the slaughter of around 600,000 poultry in one month in France, where most cases are now concentrated in the South-West severely affected last year by the virus.

Since the first case of avian influenza in breeding at the end of November, "approximately 600,000 to 650,000" poultry have been slaughtered, because they were infected or preventively, according to provisional figures from the Ministry of Agriculture.

In a report stopped on December 29, the ministry identified 26 outbreaks in farms, mainly in the South-West, 15 cases in wildlife and 3 cases in backyard.

France affected for the fourth time since 2015

For the fourth time since 2015, France, like many European countries, has not escaped this winter from highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as avian flu, carried by migrating birds.

The health crises caused by this virus generate considerable costs for professionals and for the State (compensation for slaughtered animals and the economic losses caused), as well as export losses.

Last year, the epizootic was the cause of nearly 500 breeding outbreaks, most of them in the South-West.

About 3.5 million poultry, mostly ducks, had been slaughtered.

The first case in the Gers on December 16

This time, the virus was identified for the first time on November 26 in the North, in the town of Warhem where 160,000 laying hens were reared in buildings.

It has since affected other farms in the North and reached the South-West.

Since the first case of the South-West identified in a duck farm in the Gers on December 16, "22 new outbreaks have been identified in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, the Gers and the Landes", the ministry reported in a press release Thursday evening.

"The affected farms were depopulated each time, then disinfected," he added.

Like last year, the Landes department, where the most recent outbreaks were detected, is the focus of concern.

Additional restrictions

According to the ministry, additional restrictions on the transport of poultry will intervene to limit contagion "in a dense breeding area in the South-West", the extent of which must be specified by prefectural decrees.

Within this perimeter, breeders will not be able to welcome new chicks or ducklings "until January 7", in order to reduce the density of animals present simultaneously in these sectors.

"These measures may be extended, in view of the evolution of the health situation," warns the ministry.

He adds that "an economic support system will support the hatcheries" which are losing outlets "and the breeders who will have to maintain a crawl space in their farms".

The virus "is present in the Landes but we are not in the same configuration as that of last year, with an explosion of cases," said the president of the Landes chamber of agriculture, Marie-Hélène Cazaubon.

"Today there is vigilance and collective responsibility on the part of producers as well as a very rapid response from the veterinary services, from the State", adds this breeder who asks producers and journalists not to go anywhere. breeding in breeding farms “because the main vector is humans”.

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