Establishment of a temporary control zone following a case of avian influenza in wildlife in the commune of Sélestat, Bas-Rhin.
A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N8 has just been confirmed in a swan found dead in the commune of Sélestat. This is the first case detected in the Bas-Rhin department since the virus appeared in France in November 2020.
This H5N8 virus, which is not transmissible to humans, is actively circulating in European wildlife through migratory birds.
To prevent any risk of spread, a Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) is set up within a 5 km radius around the place where the dead infected swan was found.
This temporary control zone includes part of the territories of the following municipalities (map attached):
BALDENHEIM – CHATENOIS – HEIDOLSHEIM – KINTZHEIM – MUSSIG – MUTTERSHOLTZ OHNENHEIM – ORSCHWILLER – SCHERWILLER – SELESTAT.
Backyard declaration
In this area:
- the movement of poultry and poultry products is regulated;
- strict sanitary measures must be observed;
- the sale of live poultry, directly to individuals, is prohibited.
The mobilization must be collective: all owners of poultry, whether farmers or private individuals, must declare their backyard flocks. Biosecurity measures must be strictly respected to avoid the contamination of their animals by wild birds, especially in the backyards of private individuals, in order to contain the spread of the virus: confinement of poultry, vigilance, and alert in case of mortality and abnormal clinical signs.
The public authorities call on all concerned parties, especially private backyard poultry keepers, to strictly apply the protection measures against avian influenza. The implementation of these measures is an essential condition to limit the spread of the virus.
As a reminder, the avian influenza virus (H5N8) only affects birds; it is not transmissible to humans who can safely consume meat of avian origin, eggs, foie gras and more generally any poultry food product.