A “more pathogenic” variant was found in French soil

Local health officials announced Tuesday that France has detected a “highly pathogenic” variant of bird flu on a farm near the Belgian border. Although four cases have already been reported in wildlife and three in domestic birds, this is the first case of bird flu on a farm since a severe outbreak last winter, according to a statement from the Wales Ministry of Agriculture.

All birds on the affected farm in the French city of Warheim will be killed and a 10km surveillance perimeter has been established, barring the movement of all birds in the area. The virus is now being monitored by the French Agency for Food, the Environment, Occupational Health and Safety.

However, part of the encirclement is in the western Flanders, Belgium. The Federal Agency for the Protection of Belgium’s Food chain on Tuesday took further action in the cities of de Bunne, Verne, Alveringem and Bofering, and asked poultry farmers and private owners to keep the birds in cages. The French Ministry concluded that the consumption of birds and eggs poses no danger to humans.

In the UK, thousands of birds will be euthanized just hours after the fifth bird flu outbreak in North Yorkshire, just hours after the national siege took effect. The deadly virus has been confirmed near Thirsk and two temporary control zones have been set up around the affected area. The British eruption was discovered last Monday, according to signs from the British government. The move comes after four separate bird flu outbreaks in an attempt to avert a catastrophe.