Around 600,000 Ducks Slaughtered in France Over Fears of The Avian Flu Published January 12th, 2021 - 07:27 GMT (Shutterstock/ File Photo) Isolated outbreaks in four departments. At least 600,000 ducks have been culled in France over the past two weeks due to an outbreak of avian influenza from the H5N8 virus, which has continued to evolve in a worrying development. On Monday, Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie told local radio station France Bleu Occitanie “there are six proven outbreaks in the Gers department and 180 across the country."
Avian influenza is not transmissible to humans through the consumption of meat or eggs but is highly contagious for the birds.