Bird flu outbreak in southwest France "seems under control for now" said top government officials in the region on Thursday. The bird flu outbreak had required culling of hundreds of thousands of ducks in the region.&nbsp;

"If the situation stays the same, we should be able to fully control this outbreak -- though that doesn't mean that we won't have several more weeks of work in front of us," Fabienne Buccio, prefect for the Nouvelle-Aquitaine department, told a briefing in Bordeaux.

As of January 14, more than one million birds, mainly ducks had been culled to stop spread of devastating strain of bird flu.

Officials ordered the massive culls as well as strict travel restrictions and buffer zones around infected sites in the area, a bastion of France's lucrative foie gras industry.

Buccio said the "drastic" measures had proved "appropriate and effective", though she warned that a new surge could not be excluded.

The H5N8 bird flu was first detected on Corsica island &nbsp;in November&nbsp;

Overall 348 infected flocks have been detected -- in the Landes department alone, outbreaks have been discovered at 272 sites out of around 850 in total.

The government has promised compensation for poultry farmers who have already been hit by massive bird flu outbreaks in the winters of 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Besides France and Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Britain and Ireland have also reported bird flu outbreaks since the winter began.

Bird flu outbreak in southwest France "seems under control for now" said top government officials in the region on Thursday. The bird flu outbreak had required culling of hundreds of thousands of ducks in the region.

Bird flu outbreak in southwest France "seems under control for now" said top government officials in the region on Thursday. The bird flu outbreak had required culling of hundreds of thousands of ducks in the region. "If the situation stays the same, we should be able to fully control this outbreak -- though that doesn't mean that we won't have several more weeks of work in front of us," Fabienne Buccio, prefect for the Nouvelle-Aquitaine department, told a briefing in Bordeaux. As of January 14, more than one million birds, mainly ducks had been culled to stop spread of devastating strain of bird flu. Officials ordered the massive culls as well as strict travel restrictions and buffer zones around infected sites in the area, a bastion of France's lucrative foie gras industry. Buccio said the "drastic" measures had proved "appropriate and effective", though she warned that a new surge could not be excluded. The H5N8 bird flu was first detected on Corsica island in November Overall 348 infected flocks have been detected -- in the Landes department alone, outbreaks have been discovered at 272 sites out of around 850 in total. The government has promised compensation for poultry farmers who have already been hit by massive bird flu outbreaks in the winters of 2015-16 and 2016-17. Besides France and Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Britain and Ireland have also reported bird flu outbreaks since the winter began.

Bird flu outbreak in southwest France 'under control', say authorities

Tens of thousands of poultry will be slaughtered in India after an outbreak of deadly avian influenza was found to have killed scores of birds across the country, officials said Tuesday.

At least six Indian states have stepped up efforts to contain two strains of<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/1800-migratory-birds-die-due-to-avian-flu-outbreak-in-himachal-pradesh-354508"> bird flu</a> -- H5N1 and H5N8 -- in recent days after the deaths of thousands of migratory birds, ducks, crows and chickens.

H5N8, an Avian influenza subtype among poultry and wild birds, has spread across several countries since early last year.

Officials in northern Himachal Pradesh state said carcasses were found over the past week at a Himalayan lake that witnesses large flocks of migratory birds during the winter season.

"The death toll in the last week or so at the Pong lake crossed 2,400 migratory birds. Over 600 birds died on Monday," state wildlife chief Archana Sharma told AFP.

Samples sent to the Indian National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases tested positive for H5N1, officials added.

Most of the dead were Central Asian high-altitude bar-headed geese -- one of the world's highest flying birds -- that migrate to South Asia in their thousands during the winter season.

Local authorities have banned the sale and export of poultry in the region and have stepped-up testing to control the spread.

The mass deaths came amid a cull of nearly 35,000 poultry in southern Kerala state, where an H5N8 virus outbreak killed up to 12,000 ducks.

Authorities said the slaughter was ordered within a one kilometre (0.6 mile) radius of the infection epicentre.

In northern Haryana state authorities said nearly 150,000 chickens died mysteriously across several poultry farms in Barwala district. Neighbouring Punjab also reported similar deaths.

More than 20 farms said their flocks were wiped out by an "unknown disease" and samples have been sent to labs for testing.

Western Rajasthan and central Madhya Pradesh states have also reported hundreds of crow deaths caused by H5N1 and H5N8 over past weeks.&nbsp;

Rajasthan had already seen nearly 4,500 crows and herons die over several months from avian flu.

India has witnessed bouts of devastating bird flu outbreaks in recent decades, most seriously in 2008, when millions of poultry were culled.

Tens of thousands of poultry will be slaughtered in India after an outbreak of deadly avian influenza was found to have killed scores of birds across the country, officials said Tuesday.

Tens of thousands of poultry will be slaughtered in India after an outbreak of deadly avian influenza was found to have killed scores of birds across the country, officials said Tuesday. At least six Indian states have stepped up efforts to contain two strains of bird flu -- H5N1 and H5N8 -- in recent days after the deaths of thousands of migratory birds, ducks, crows and chickens. H5N8, an Avian influenza subtype among poultry and wild birds, has spread across several countries since early last year. Officials in northern Himachal Pradesh state said carcasses were found over the past week at a Himalayan lake that witnesses large flocks of migratory birds during the winter season. "The death toll in the last week or so at the Pong lake crossed 2,400 migratory birds. Over 600 birds died on Monday," state wildlife chief Archana Sharma told AFP. Samples sent to the Indian National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases tested positive for H5N1, officials added. Most of the dead were Central Asian high-altitude bar-headed geese -- one of the world's highest flying birds -- that migrate to South Asia in their thousands during the winter season. Local authorities have banned the sale and export of poultry in the region and have stepped-up testing to control the spread. The mass deaths came amid a cull of nearly 35,000 poultry in southern Kerala state, where an H5N8 virus outbreak killed up to 12,000 ducks. Authorities said the slaughter was ordered within a one kilometre (0.6 mile) radius of the infection epicentre. In northern Haryana state authorities said nearly 150,000 chickens died mysteriously across several poultry farms in Barwala district. Neighbouring Punjab also reported similar deaths. More than 20 farms said their flocks were wiped out by an "unknown disease" and samples have been sent to labs for testing. Western Rajasthan and central Madhya Pradesh states have also reported hundreds of crow deaths caused by H5N1 and H5N8 over past weeks. Rajasthan had already seen nearly 4,500 crows and herons die over several months from avian flu. India has witnessed bouts of devastating bird flu outbreaks in recent decades, most seriously in 2008, when millions of poultry were culled.

Thousands of birds to be culled over avian flu outbreak in India

European countries are rushing to contain spread of Bird Flu as the continent continues to battle coronavirus pandemic. Thousands of chickens are being culled in several countries. Public Health England (PHE) has said that H5N8 strain of the bird flu is unlikely to risk public health but precautions are being taken across the continent.

An outbreak of H5N8 avian influenza was reported on a farm in northern Croatia, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Wednesday.

The outbreak in the Koprivnicko-Krizevacka county killed 4,315 birds, the OIE said, quoting information from Croatia's agriculture ministry.

Poland will cull over 900,000 hens in a farm in western Poland due to a bird flu outbreak which was discovered on Tuesday evening, state news agency PAP quoted local veterinary authorities as saying.

The H5N8 bird flu outbreak in the village of Wroniawy is the 33rd one in Poland this year, said PAP citing the Chief Veterinary Inspectorate data.

"It is a farm of 930,000 laying hens. ... A canal runs behind the farm, there are also fields nearby, with geese and other wild birds," PAP quoted local veterinary authorities as saying. It added that the cull will start on Thursday and may continue for up to six days.

Poland's Chief Veterinary Inspectorate and local veterinary services were not immediately available to comment.

Risk to humans from the disease is considered low, but past outbreaks among farm birds have required extensive slaughtering programmes to contain them.

On last Sunday, almost 200,000 chickens were culled in the Netherlands.

(With Agency&nbsp;inputs)

European countries are rushing to contain spread of Bird Flu as the continent continues to battle coronavirus pandemic. Thousands of chickens are being culled in several countries.

European countries are rushing to contain spread of Bird Flu as the continent continues to battle coronavirus pandemic. Thousands of chickens are being culled in several countries. Public Health England (PHE) has said that H5N8 strain of the bird flu is unlikely to risk public health but precautions are being taken across the continent. An outbreak of H5N8 avian influenza was reported on a farm in northern Croatia, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Wednesday. The outbreak in the Koprivnicko-Krizevacka county killed 4,315 birds, the OIE said, quoting information from Croatia's agriculture ministry. Poland will cull over 900,000 hens in a farm in western Poland due to a bird flu outbreak which was discovered on Tuesday evening, state news agency PAP quoted local veterinary authorities as saying. The H5N8 bird flu outbreak in the village of Wroniawy is the 33rd one in Poland this year, said PAP citing the Chief Veterinary Inspectorate data. "It is a farm of 930,000 laying hens. ... A canal runs behind the farm, there are also fields nearby, with geese and other wild birds," PAP quoted local veterinary authorities as saying. It added that the cull will start on Thursday and may continue for up to six days. Poland's Chief Veterinary Inspectorate and local veterinary services were not immediately available to comment. Risk to humans from the disease is considered low, but past outbreaks among farm birds have required extensive slaughtering programmes to contain them. On last Sunday, almost 200,000 chickens were culled in the Netherlands. (With Agency inputs)

Bird flu in Europe: Mass culling of chickens underway to stop outbreak

Germany and Switzerland reported new outbreaks of a severe strain of bird flu on Saturday in the latest in a series of cases across Europe.

The H5N8 virus has also been found in Austria, Hungary, Poland, the Netherlands, Denmark and Croatia.

In Germany, the state of Schleswig-Holstein reported one case of bird flu confirmed at a farm where 30,000 chickens would now be culled. The state&#39;s agriculture ministry said an area of 3 square km (1.2 square miles) had been sealed off.

In Berlin, the federal agriculture minister, Christian Schmidt, said the government had set up a crisis management desk.

A second outbreak in Austria at a chicken farm in its western Vorarlberg province close to the German and Swiss borders was not yet clearly established following the analysis of a second sample, the provincial minister of agriculture said.

While samples taken on Thursday detected the virus, samples on Friday failed to deliver a clear result, minister Erich Schwaerzler said. &quot;I ordered new samples be taken for another analysis and I expect a clear result on Monday.&quot;

An Austrian poultry farm close to the chicken farm had tested positive for H5N8 on Friday.

A protection zone with a radius of at least 3 km and a surveillance zone with a radius of at least 10 km around the two holdings have been created to keep migrating birds from transmitting the disease to farm poultry.

Bird flu was also confirmed in dead birds along Lake Geneva in Switzerland on Saturday.

Austria and Switzerland earlier this week took steps to prevent the spread of the virus to domestic poultry after discovering the disease in wild ducks around Lake Constance.

&nbsp;

(Reuters)

At least 30,000 chickens will be culled in a farm in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany and another at a farm in Austria

Germany and Switzerland reported new outbreaks of a severe strain of bird flu on Saturday in the latest in a series of cases across Europe. The H5N8 virus has also been found in Austria, Hungary, Poland, the Netherlands, Denmark and Croatia. In Germany, the state of Schleswig-Holstein reported one case of bird flu confirmed at a farm where 30,000 chickens would now be culled. The state's agriculture ministry said an area of 3 square km (1.2 square miles) had been sealed off. In Berlin, the federal agriculture minister, Christian Schmidt, said the government had set up a crisis management desk. A second outbreak in Austria at a chicken farm in its western Vorarlberg province close to the German and Swiss borders was not yet clearly established following the analysis of a second sample, the provincial minister of agriculture said. While samples taken on Thursday detected the virus, samples on Friday failed to deliver a clear result, minister Erich Schwaerzler said. "I ordered new samples be taken for another analysis and I expect a clear result on Monday." An Austrian poultry farm close to the chicken farm had tested positive for H5N8 on Friday. A protection zone with a radius of at least 3 km and a surveillance zone with a radius of at least 10 km around the two holdings have been created to keep migrating birds from transmitting the disease to farm poultry. Bird flu was also confirmed in dead birds along Lake Geneva in Switzerland on Saturday. Austria and Switzerland earlier this week took steps to prevent the spread of the virus to domestic poultry after discovering the disease in wild ducks around Lake Constance. (Reuters)

New bird flu outbreaks reported in Germany and Switzerland

h5n8-virus

H5n8 Virus, News on H5n8 Virus, stories on H5n8 Virus, articles on H5n8 Virus, H5n8 Virus stories at Wion, H5n8 Virus news, H5n8 Virus latest news

h5n8 virus

Bird flu outbreak in southwest France 'under control', say authorities

Thousands of birds to be culled over avian flu outbreak in India

Bird flu in Europe: Mass culling of chickens underway to stop outbreak

New bird flu outbreaks reported in Germany and Switzerland