The resurgence of bird flu in the Southwest after a month and a half of calm is "unexpected and incomprehensible," said Friday the interprofession of foie gras, faced with a multiplication of outbreaks despite a period of the year considered less at risk. Marie-Pierre Pé, director general of the interprofession of foie gras in the South-West (Cifog), even speaks of a "surprise effect" while the France had lowered at the end of April the level of risk of avian influenza from "high" to "moderate".

The authorities had reported Tuesday 11 confirmed outbreaks in farms in the Gers and one in the Landes since May 4, the first cases since March 14, and proceeded to the slaughter of the animals concerned. In the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, "two strong suspicions" were noted and health perimeters were also set up. "It's general consternation," said Sylvie Colas, representative of the Confédération paysanne in the Gers, who even speaks of 17 farms concerned in her department.

All animal movements suspended in four departments

"We had never had bird flu in May, normally it's in winter," she said. The farms are full. With the bad year 2022, duck producers want to stockpile. In addition to the measures taken by the State, Cifog has decreed the cessation of all movement of animals in the Landes, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Gers and Hautes-Pyrénées, "at least until Wednesday," Marie-Pierre Pé told AFP. Either no entry of ducklings into the farms, no force-feeding and stopping flows with other departments.

In its monthly report, the European health agency EFSA confirmed on Friday a decline in the number of outbreaks among poultry in March and April in Europe, but stressed that seagulls continued to be "heavily affected by the virus". Since the beginning of the epidemic last fall, six million poultry have been slaughtered in France, after the slaughter of 22 million poultry in 2021-2022.

  • Occitania
  • Midi-Pyrénées
  • New Aquitaine
  • Aquitaine
  • Hautes-Pyrénées
  • Pyrénées-Atlantiques
  • Avian influenza
  • Ducks
  • Society