France Lifts Bird Movement Restrictions as Flu Outbreaks End
FRANCE - The French agriculture department lifted restrictions on the movement of birds in 17 south-western departments last week, saying that the outbreaks of avian influenza that began in 2015 have ended, according to EFEAGRO.
19 September 2016
2 minute read
By: The restrictions covered waterfowl farms in the main regions of France where fois gras is produced. The strategy was to empty all the farms in these regions of ducks and geese, disinfect thoroughly and then repopulate.
Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Foll insisted that the recent detection of four "residual" highly pathogenic bird flu cases in the departments of Dordogne and Aveyron did not mean the strategy was ineffective.
Mr Le Foll welcomed the end to the restrictions, and thanked public services and industry for their efforts.
But he added that the fight against the recurrence of bird flu should continue, through extra surveillance for the disease and improved biosecurity measures on farms.
Eighty-one outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza were found in France between November 2015 and July this year, as well as some outbreaks of the low pathogenic version of the disease.
