Saint-Cyr-l'École, the second outbreak of bird flu in France.
After the discovery of a “highly pathogenic focus” of this disease in Haute-Corse a few days ago, it was Gally's farm which was also affected.
The contamination would in fact go back to the beginning of the month.
On November 4, this famous garden center located a stone's throw from Versailles and popular with residents of neighboring urban areas, received from its specialist supplier a goose ordered by a customer.
But quickly, the behavior of the animal intrigued the staff: the bird seemed weak, eats poorly, drinks little.
Then he ends up dying.
The farm contacts its veterinarian who suspects a case of "Avian influenza".
In turn, the specialist summons the veterinary services of the prefecture, which confirms the initial diagnosis.
Several dozen hens euthanized
Immediately, a very strict procedure is put in place under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture.
The entire herd - dozens of hens - is euthanized.
"It's an operation that made us unhappy," a spokesperson for Gally farms confided on Friday morning.
We have also launched a comprehensive decontamination of our premises, cleaned the enclosures ... We have followed the procedure to the letter, in complete transparency and followed the recommendations.
Our employees are fully trained to respond to this type of procedure.
"
Since November 5, poultry farmers in 46 French departments have had to confine their animals as a preventive measure, in the face of the risk of introducing avian flu.
LP / Klervi Le Cozic
A protection zone of three kilometers in radius and another so-called "surveillance" of ten kilometers have been established around this focus, indicate for their part the services of the prefecture.
This discovery led to the establishment of a real police investigation by the departmental directorate for the protection of populations.
With one main concern: that the supplier of Gally's farm, which distributes hundreds of animals, may have sold contaminated poultry to other garden centers ... The spokesperson for Gally's farm did not wish to communicate the name of this reseller.
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The other cause for concern is whether the hens that have stayed with the sick goose may not have infected other animals.
“The scenario to be feared is the family who buys a contaminated hen which escapes from its enclosure when arriving at the house and which in turn infects other poultry from neighbors or from a neighboring farm.
It is very unlikely but we must eliminate this possibility, ”analyzes a good expert on the issue.
No danger for humans
As a precautionary measure, other animal facilities, "because of proven epidemiological links with the first identified outbreak and therefore strong suspicions of contamination", have been targeted by preventive euthanasia on backyard birds and poultry.
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Note that there would however be no risk for the populations.
According to the prefecture services, the virus found in Saint-Cyr-l'École is of the H5N8 type, identical to that detected in Haute-Corse.
This virus would be "non-zoonotic", that is to say that it is not transmissible to humans.
It is diffused mainly by the droppings of birds.
Maximum vigilance in pet stores
Local garden centers with birds immediately implemented prevention measures to prevent the spread of the H5N8 virus.
In Houdan, the Gamm Vert store thus asks its customers to fill out a form intended to “trace” buyers.
"They leave their contact details so that we can call them back in the event of contamination of our poultry," said a seller.
This is quite unlikely as all of our animals are tested and closely monitored by our veterinarian but we assume that anything can happen, even the unlikely.
"
In this store located on the border of Eure-et-Loir, there are only six layers left.
When they are all sold, we will have to wait a bit before new birds arrive.
“We have stopped our purchases.
As long as this flu episode is not over, I will not order it "adds this employee, in a hurry" that 2020 ends ".
“Between the Covid and, now, the influenza, we are not varnished!
".
In other pet stores, vigilance is also required concerning birds: canaries, parakeets ... "Even if our animals are protected because they are not outside, therefore not exposed to the droppings of passing birds, we are asked all the same, to be even more vigilant, says a saleswoman in a Truffaut store.
We take a more regular look at their behavior.
"