Numerous measures were immediately taken by the prefecture.
An outbreak of avian flu was detected on Friday December 27 in a domestic poultry farm in La Poterie-Mathieu, a town located in Eure, between Bernay and Pont-Audemer. The prefect has set a protection zone within a radius of three kilometers around the outbreak, reports France 3 Normandie.
This protection concerns eight municipalities: La Poterie-Mathieu, Epaignes, Lieuray, La Noë-Poulain, Saint-Etienne-L'Allier, Saint-Georges-du-Vièvre, Saint-Siméon and Selles. In addition to these cities, a surveillance zone has been decreed within a radius of ten kilometers, encompassing 46 municipalities according to Ouest-France.
The prefectural decree was published this Saturday, less than ten days after the lowering of the national risk level, recalls AFP.
“Highly pathogenic”, this outbreak of avian influenza requires “immediate eradication measures” for the poultry concerned. They must remain locked up and any symptoms must be immediately reported to the authorities.
Other measures have also been taken, including banning the hunting of waterfowl, game birds and the release of game birds. According to information from France 3, the slaughter of contaminated animals began this Saturday.
The detection of this outbreak comes as this week, in the United States and for the first time, the avian flu virus is said to have mutated in a patient to adapt “to human respiratory tract”. American health authorities announced this on Thursday.
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