The home was “depopulated” and “disinfected” and a 3 km protection zone around the farm was set up.
10,600 ducks were slaughtered after an outbreak of avian flu was declared in a farm in Ain, the department prefecture told AFP on Sunday. “State services (departmental directorate for the protection of populations) of Ain have revealed an outbreak of avian influenza due to a strain of the H5N1 virus in a duck farm located in Saint-Nizier-le-Désert“, said the prefectural administration in a press release. “All the ducks on the farm were slaughtered, i.e. 10,600 ducks“, she continued.
The suspicion of infection follows the observation of abnormal mortality among the ducks on the farm and an epidemiological investigation is underway to find out the origin of the contamination.
3 kilometer protection zone
In accordance with health management rules, the outbreak was “depopulated” and “disinfected“. A protection zone (3 km around the outbreak) and a surveillance and control zone (10 km around the outbreak) have been taken in accordance with the regulations, the prefecture stressed. “In order to control the risk of spreading the virus, poultry movements are prohibited in these areas where strict sanitary measures must be observed.in the municipalities concerned.
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The prefecture of Ain assured that the services of the State are mobilized alongside the breeder who will be compensated for the losses suffered. State services “call on all professional sectors, hunters and private owners of farmyards to strictly respect the protective measures against avian influenza and to declare without delay any suspicion, including abnormal mortalities in breeding“, concluded the prefecture.