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New bird flu case found on SW France farm: ministry

Xinhua, December 2, 2016 Adjust font size:

France's agriculture ministry confirmed on Friday a new case of bird flu on a duck farm in the southwestern Tarn region.

"A case of highly contagious H5N8 bird flu is confirmed on Dec. 1 ... on a duck farm in Tarn," the ministry said in a statement.

The H5N8 virus has killed 2,000 out of 5,000 ducks on the affected farm, and the remaining birds are to be culled as part of preventative measures, it added.

The new case confirmation means that France for now will not be able to regain its international status as free of highly pathogenic avian flu, said the ministry.

"However,... exports of French poultry products will continue," the ministry added.

Following a severe strain of H5N8 bird flu hitting several European countries this year, France has already imposed precautionary measures to prevent poultry contacts with wild birds and to restrict hunt in high risk areas.

France, the main producer of famous foie gras in the European Union, detected bird flu outbreak last year, leading to bans on duck and goose production in many southwestern regions. Endit