France tightens bird flu measures in southwest after new outbreaks

France has reinforced sanitary measures to curb a wave of bird flu cases on duck farms in the southwest, where it has broken a recent lull in outbreaks, the
French agriculture ministry said on Friday.
France has been among the countries worst affected by the unprecedented spread of avian influenza – commonly called bird flu – around the world in the past year.
The disease has killed hundreds of millions of birds, disrupting supply of poultry meat and eggs while prompting some countries including France to plan vaccination campaigns for farm flocks.
Since May 4, 21 outbreaks of highly pathogenic bird flu have been detected in southwestern France, mostly among ducks, the agriculture ministry said in a statement.