“The H5N1 virus is highly pathogenic”, recalls the local representation of the State. Following this case, “regulated zoning (temporary control zone, ZCT) was put in place on March 17, within a radius of 20 km around the place of discovery”, i.e. 30 municipalities in the Basque Country and 15 municipalities in the Landes.
Reinforced vigilance
The 30 Basque municipalities concerned are: Ahetze, Bayonne, Ciboure, Lahonce, Souraïde, Anglet, Espelette, Biarritz, Larressore, Urcuit, Arbonne, Bidart, Guéthary, Mouguerre, Urrugne, Arcangues, Boucau, Halsou, Saint-Jean-de-Luz , Urt, Ascain, Briscous, Hasparren, Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle, Ustaritz, Bassussarry, Cambo-les-Bains, Jatxou, Saint-Pierre-d’Irube, Villefranque.
In this zone, enhanced vigilance measures are recommended, which concern wildlife, such as poultry farming.
The prefecture also recalls that “between spring and autumn 2022, free wild avifauna was particularly concerned with very many infection events declared on the various French coasts”. “Three seabirds (gannets) had thus been found infected on the Basque coast in September 2022.”
