The text published on Tuesday lists around a hundred municipalities, most of which are located in the Landes and five in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques.
Le Monde avec AFP
The authorities have ordered the preventive slaughter of farmed poultry in about a hundred municipalities, mainly in the Landes but also in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, in order to control the spread of avian flu, according to a decree published in the Official Journal on Tuesday, December 29. The text comes into force on Tuesday.
A previous decree, dated December 23, ordered preventive felling in eleven municipalities in the Landes. The text published on Tuesday lists around a hundred municipalities, the majority of which are located in the Landes and five in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques.
“Considering the spread of the virus responsible for the highly pathogenic avian influenza of sub- type H5N8 in avifauna and on farmed poultry, in particular palmipeds, in the Landes department and the need to prevent the risk of spreading the epizootic “,” a “preventive slaughter is ordered with a view to accelerate the control of the epizootic “, stipulates the decree.
Massive preventive slaughter
The text highlights in particular” the high density of poultry farms in the department of Landes “. The “target groups” are “all bird owners (poultry, ornamental birds, game and captive wildlife), veterinarians, departmental analysis laboratories, poultry professionals, companies in ‘rendering and slaughter “.
Last week, massive preventive culling of 40,000 ducks was ordered in the Landes to curb the spread of avian influenza, detected in 18 outbreaks in France.
Like several European countries, France is facing an episode of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) since mid-November. The virus in question (H5N8) exclusively affects birds. It is not transmissible to humans. The disease circulates actively in wildlife and manifests itself on occasion of southward migrations.