Illustration of a chicken farm. – Tristan Reynaud / SIPA
The threat is spreading? France had 61 contamination with avian influenza on January 1, mainly in the Landes, or 29 more in a few days, according to the latest report from the
Ministry of Agriculture Sunday.
In a press release, the ministry specifies that 48 of 61 confirmed outbreaks are located in the Landes department, a region traditionally producing foie gras. The latest report, communicated on 21 December, reported 20 outbreaks of contamination throughout France.
Many outbreaks where there is only suspicion
In a press release on Sunday, the Landes prefecture nevertheless announced, ” at 02 January ”, that were“ recorded 21 outbreaks of avian influenza (H5N8 confirmed by the national reference laboratory) and 48 suspected (avian influenza H5 identified by the departmental laboratory, awaiting results from the national reference laboratory) ” .
The ministry also points out that the perimeter in which the prefects can order an a preventive hype around confirmed outbreaks has just been extended, according to a decree published on Sunday in the Official Journal. It now concerns more than 110 municipalities Landes and 05 communes of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. The ministry specifies that the disease prevention strategy “may be reviewed in the light of a new opinion from the (health agency) Anses expected this week.” The preventive slaughter of healthy animals is denounced by the agricultural unions Confédération paysanne and Modef, who judge them “As sanitary ineffective as they are morally unacceptable”.