Very bad news for duck and poultry breeders in the South-West on the eve of the Christmas holidays: a first case of avian flu has just been detected in a farm located in the town of Manciet, west of the Gers.
A first outbreak of avian flu was detected in the Gers on Thursday, December 16, according to information collected from the services of the DDCSPP (Departmental Directorate of Social Cohesion and Population Protection), in a farm located in the town of Manciet, to the west of the department.
Since yesterday, a temporary control zone “following a strong suspicion of avian influenza” had been set up around an operation involving 33 municipalities in the department.
On December 7, suspected cases were detected during a check in Sort-en-Chalosse in the Landes, as reported by our colleagues from South West. The Landes prefecture finally communicated the next day that the suspicion was raised.
On November 5, the Ministry of Agriculture had placed 46 French departments at “high” risk of introduction of avian flu by migratory birds. This measure required breeders in particular to confine poultry or to install protective nets. It had led to an outcry from small outdoor breeders, in particular in the Gers.
Contain the epizootic
After this first proven case of avian influenza, the priority of the authorities will be to contain the epizootic to avoid the dramatic episode experienced last year by the industry. Between autumn 2020 and spring 2021, 492 outbreaks had been detected and approximately 3.5 million poultry (mainly ducks) had been slaughtered in the South-West during this crisis on the orders of the administration, following the detection outbreaks or preventively to limit the spread of the virus.