The avian flu epizootic has spread over the past few days in Vendée and Loire-Atlantique, the Ministry of Agriculture said on Sunday March 6, announcing a strengthening of protective measures.
74 outbreaks in farms have to date been confirmed in the Pays de la Loire region, mainly in Vendée, “
with a large number of new suspicions under investigation
”, according to a press release.
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The acceleration of the epizootic has been observed “
in the very last few days
”, with 58 outbreaks confirmed in Vendée on March 4, against 9 on February 24, and 11 outbreaks in breeding since February 28 in Loire-Atlantique.
On Friday, March 4, France had 443 outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in livestock, 35 cases in wildlife and 17 cases in backyards.
The Ministry announced a strengthening of measures with the suspension of shipments of chicks and hatching eggs produced in all hatcheries in the restricted area, the depopulation of poultry farms around strategic sites (hatcheries, breeding farms) in a five-kilometre perimeter, and an extension of the surveillance zone with a ban on the movement and re-installation of poultry, except by way of derogation.
Teams to “ensure depopulations”
The outbreaks identified to date are located overwhelmingly in an area “
both sensitive and strategic because it hosts many breeding farms and many hatcheries from all poultry sectors
”, underlines the ministry.
Nearly 500,000 animals have already been slaughtered there and more than four million in total since the start of the crisis.
An additional team will be added to the five already in place to "
ensure depopulation
".
The health agency ANSES must issue an opinion in the coming days on the causes of this rapid spread.
Avian influenza has a seasonal character.
Carried by migratory birds from Asia, it usually begins to develop in October in Europe and continues until April.
This is the fourth episode of avian flu that has affected France since 2015. The last, last winter, led to the slaughter of more than 3.5 million poultry, mainly ducks.
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These repeated crises generate considerable costs for professionals (production stoppages, closure of export markets) and the State (compensation for slaughtered animals and resulting economic losses).
The consumption of meat, eggs or foie gras does not present a risk for humans.