France to cull 600,000 poultry

Paris: France is to cull about 600,000 poultry birds as it tries to contain an avian influenza virus that is spreading among duck flocks in the southwest, the farm ministry said yesterday.

France is among European countries to have reported highly contagious strains of bird flu late last year, leading to mass culls as authorities try to limit transmission from wild birds to farm flocks.

France has already slaughtered about 200,000 poultry and plans to cull a further 400,000 birds. — Reuters