Moroccan Poultry Industry on Alert as Avian Flu Spreads in Europe

This is a second warning, reports Al Omk Al Maghribi, stating that in the face of an unprecedented wave of highly virulent avian flu in Europe, the National Association of Breeders had written to the Minister of Agriculture, Mohamed Seddiqi, to hold an urgent meeting. These stakeholders have expressed their concern after millions of cases of avian flu have been recorded in birds and poultry in France, Spain and the United Kingdom.

The association bases its fears on the approach of the date of the migration of wild birds, notes the same source, adding that this correspondence from the poultry farmers, also transmitted to the ONSSA, has been ignored and without any response to date. Worried, it has launched a new call to the authorities, in order to take urgent measures to prevent the entry of this poultry disease into Morocco.

From Algerian sources, it is learned that the recent appearance of a focus of avian flu in a municipality has led the authorities to prevent the sale of live birds in the markets, in addition to issuing an order to close all poultry markets. In Europe, the health authorities have proceeded to slaughter around 48 million birds since last fall, following the "most extensive and dangerous spread of avian flu" ever recorded.