The veterinary authority has sent an Immediate Notification dated 4 January to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

The report describes an outbreak starting on 27 December at a farm with 13,530 pigeons at Langoat in the Côtes-d'Armor region of Brittany. In all, 630 birds died and the rest of the flock was destroyed.

Clinical signs suggestive of Newcastle disease observed in unvaccinated young pigeons, according to the report. Mortality increased daily.

No epidemiological link has been found with the previous outbreak in the department of Morbihan, also in Brittany, which started on 16 December 2010. The most probable source of the infection is wild birds.

All the poultry in the holding was destroyed as a pre-emptive measure on 30 December 2010. Cleaning and disinfection operations were carried out on 30 December 2010. A three-kilometre protection zone and a 10-kilometre surveillance zone were set up around the infected holding. Poultry farms in these zones are subject to movement restrictions.

Further Reading

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Find out more information on Newcastle disease by clicking here.