France confirms severe outbreak of bird flu in duck farming

H5N8 bird flu was found in a duck farm in the southwest o France which confirmed the first outbreak of the virus in France this year. A security zone was demarcated around the farm on December 7, implying extra monitoring, a ban on the movement of birds and additional sanitary measures. Approximately 6,000 ducks in the unit were euthanized. Three swans and a wild goose found dead last week have also been confirmed to carry the H5N8 virus. The spread of the virus in Europe has led France to raise its security alert against avian influenza to “high” in early November. The high-security alert requires keeping birds indoors or installing safety nets to avoid contact with birds wild birds which have the potential to spread the disease.