France Launches Mass Duck Cull To Stem Bird Flu Spread

PARIS, Jan 5, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 05th Jan, 2017 ) - Authorities in south-west France began a cull of hundreds of thousands of ducks Thursday as authorities scramble to contain an outbreak of a virulent strain of bird flu sweeping Europe.

The farm birds in France's foie gras heartland are to be slaughtered to stem the spread of an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 virus. Several culls have already taken place since December, dealing a blow to producers of foie gras -- a controversial delicacy made from the livers of ducks and geese after force-feeding -- in the run-up to the important Christmas season.

But until now only farms with infected birds were affected.