Brussels, 04/07/2007 (Agence Europe) - The highly pathogenic bird flu virus H5N1 is believed to be behind the deaths of three swans found dead on a lake in the Department of Moselle, in France. “The results of our initial analyses, which we received today, show that there is a suspicion of bird flu. These analyses are being confirmed by our national reference laboratory (…) in order to determine whether this is an infection by the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of the virus”, announced the French Ministry of Agriculture in a press release on Tuesday 3 July (our translation). The results of the analysis are expected to be published this Thursday 5 July. After the announcement of the suspicious cases, the French government immediately took precaution measures, in line with Community legislation: - a control zone of a ratio of around 1 km around the lake (increased monitoring of wild bird mortality, confinement of domestic birds and visits by veterinary surgeons, a ban on rounding up or hunting wild birds); - an observation zone of a ratio of around 15 km around the lake (reinforced monitoring of wild bird mortality, confinement of domestic birds, a ban on rounding up for hunting wild birds).
France had already decided on 24 June to step up its raft of preventative measures and monitoring measures for poultry and wild birds, after a case of bird flu was discovered in Germany. Cases have also been announced in the Czech Republic. The most recent cases of H5N1 bird flu in wild birds in France date back to spring 2006. According to Ministry of Agriculture figures, 62 dead birds turned out to test positive for the virus at this time. Furthermore, a single holding had been contaminated in February 2006, leading to the deaths of several hundred turkeys in Ain.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Health of the Land of Thuringia, central Germany, announced on Tuesday 3 July that the H5N1 virus had been discovered in a wild black-necked grebe. The body of a suspect swan is currently undergoing a series of tests. The area in which the sick bird was discovered has been cordoned off to a radius of 3 km and all poultry within this zone have been confined indoors. Germany has previously registered cases of bird flu in the regions of Saxony and Bavaria. In the Czech Republic, the authorities recently announced three cases in chickens and a swan. (lc)