a case of bird flu detected on a seagull, a control zone set up

A temporary control zone has been set up within a radius of 20km around the place of discovery of the infected bird

The avian influenza virus, more commonly known as bird flu, was identified on Monday in a black-headed gull found dead in Strasbourg, the department’s prefecture said in a press release.

A control zone set up

After the confirmation of this first case, the Bas-Rhin prefecture issued an order aimed at preventing the appearance of this virus in farms.

A temporary control zone has been set up within a radius of 20km around the place of discovery of the infected bird. It includes 83 communes of Bas-Rhin, including Brumath, Nordhouse and Wolfisheim.

“Within these areas, various measures are deployed to protect poultry farms from potential contamination by wildlife, including the strengthening of biosecurity measures (sheltering), enhanced monitoring of poultry farms (laboratory analyzes) and an adaptation of hunting activities (waterfowl and feathered game decoys)”, details the prefecture of Bas-Rhin.

The latter also recalls that the collection or transport of live or dead wild birds is prohibited.

This temporary control zone may be lifted, if the situation develops favourably, after a period of 21 days.

In the neighboring Alsatian department, a case of bird flu had been discovered in a town. The disease, detected on a swan in Village-Neuf in mid-January, led to the establishment of a temporary control zone. 81 municipalities were concerned.