Bird flu: a case confirmed at the Domaine des Oiseaux de Mazères

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The suspicion of avian flu detected on January 21 at the Domaine des Oiseaux in Mazères on a wild bird was confirmed yesterday by the Prefecture of Ariège. A temporary control zone of 20 km was established around the site, covering 41 municipalities.

It is now confirmed: a case of “highly pathogenic avian influenza” was indeed detected at the Domaine des Oiseaux de Mazères, on Saturday January 21, on a wild animal bird. Two decrees were immediately issued by the Prefecture in order to prevent the appearance of the virus in neighboring farms, bringing the risk level of an epizootic to a “high” level. As a result, reinforced preventive measures for poultry and poultry farms will be applied in all municipalities of the department and, beyond, throughout the metropolitan territory.

41 municipalities involved

More narrowly, a temporary control zone with a radius of 20 km was established around the site of the discovery. This area includes 41 communes of lower Ariège: Bastide-de-Lordat, Bézac, Bonnac, Brie, Cante, Le Carlaret, Durfort, Escosse, Esplas, Gaudies, Justiniac, Labatut, Lapenne, Lescousse, Lissac, Ludiès, Manses, Mazères , Mirepoix, Montaut, Pamiers, Les Pujols, Saint-Amadou, Saint-Amans, Saint-Félix-de-Tournegat, Saintu-Jean-du-Falga, Saint-Martin-d’Oydes, Saint-Michel, Saint- Quirc, Saint-Victor-Rouzaud, Saint-Ybars, Saverdun, Teilhet, La Tour-du-Crieu, Tremoulet, Unzent, Vals, Le Vernet, Verniolle, Villeneuve-du-Latou and Villeneuve-du-Paréage.

In these municipalities, various measures are implemented to protect farms from contamination: shelter of birds, protection of feeding and watering points, increased surveillance of farms through laboratory analyzes and adaptation of hunting activities, especially with regard to waterfowl and game .

Keepers of poultry and captive birds must establish a system for disinfecting vehicles and people. Additionally, all movement of people, domesticated mammals, vehicles and equipment from or to a captive birding business should be restricted as much as possible.

The Domaine des Oiseaux is closed to the public

The Domaine des Oiseaux, for its part, is now closed to the public. It is also recommended to avoid frequenting wetlands where wild birds are stationed on the edge of ponds, lakes or rivers, even in their absence, in order not to spread the virus through excrement and dirty ground that can get caught in shoes or in the paws of pets. In order to avoid spreading the virus to other birds, it is also forbidden to approach or feed wild birds, further specifies the Prefecture.

However, sales of established poultry remain possible on the markets, without direct or indirect contact with the birds. Unless otherwise authorized by the Departmental Directorate for Population Protection, gatherings of poultry are prohibited.

Finally, any case of mortality of wild birds in this area, without obvious cause, must imperatively be reported to the departmental branch of the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB) at the following number: 05 61 65 63 44 or to the Departmental Hunting Federation of Ariège on 05 61 65 04 02.

The temporary control zone will be lifted within 21 days, if no suggestive signs of avian influenza are detected on the holdings and if no other cases have been declared in wild wildlife. If not, it will be maintained until the situation stabilizes.

Reminder: Although avian flu is highly contagious and dangerous to birds, the consumption of meat, foie gras, eggs and any poultry-based food product poses no risk to humans.

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