This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS PARIS 001144 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR OES/HA, EUR/WE, CA/OCS 
HHS FOR INTERNATIONAL BUDASHEWITZ 
USDA FOR ITP/MACKE/THOMAS, CMP/DLP/WETZEL 
USDA FOR FAS PASS FSIS AND APHIS 
CDC FOR DR. DBELL 
HOMELAND SECURITY FOR OIA 
 
C O R R E C T E D  COPY - Changed Reftel 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU TBIO CASC AMGT FR
SUBJECT: FIRST APPARENT CASE OF AVIAN FLU IN FRENCH 
DOMESTIC POULTRY 
 
REF: Paris 01103, and previous 
 
¶1.  (U)  Summary: Early on February 24, France's 
Agriculture Minister confirmed that a flock of 
domestic turkeys contained highly pathogenic H5 
virus.  Laboratory results, expected shortly, have 
yet to confirm definitively the H5N1 strain. 
However, the flock of turkeys - since culled - was 
located in the same department, Ain, as the wild 
duck confirmed to have been infected with H5N1 a 
week ago (see reftel).  The government immediately 
reacted by reinforcing its cordon around the 
affected area and pledging 52 million euros in 
assistance to the poultry industry.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  (U)  Late on February 23, French media began 
reporting the death of some 400 turkeys out of a 
flock of 11,000 in the village of Versailleux in 
Ain near the city of Lyon in southeastern France. 
Reports suggest that these birds were being raised 
within the confinement zone established following 
the confirmation late last week of a dead wild 
duck diseased with the H5N1 virus.  In accordance 
with emergency procedures, the entire flock of 
turkeys was culled and their carcasses 
incinerated.  French authorities augmented with 
gendarmes the zone of confinement around the area 
where the dead birds were being raised, 
effectively sealing off the farm. 
 
¶3.  (U)  Samples of the dead turkeys are being 
analyzed by the French reference laboratory at 
Ploufragan for confirmation they contain the H5N1 
virus.  Although definitive word regarding the 
existence of H5N1 has not yet been provided by 
laboratory authorities, Minister of Agriculture 
Dominique Bussereau announced that the 400 birds 
had died of a highly pathogenic strain of the H5 
virus.  French veterinary authorities informed 
Embassy Foreign Agricultural Service that the 
flock of turkeys was located only one kilometer 
from the site where the dead H5N1 wild duck was 
found last week.  The approximately 11,000 turkeys 
were all 56 days old.  Prior to their culling, the 
turkey flock evidenced a 90% morbidity and 5% 
mortality rate from the illness. 
 
¶4.  (U)  Following these events, President Chirac 
announced the total mobilization of the government 
to address the protection of the French poultry 
industry.  Prime Minister de Villepin promised 52 
million euros in supplementary assistance: 20 
million to assist chicken ranchers, 20 million for 
industry enterprises, and two million to support 
campaigns "to encourage the consumption of 
poultry."  While these measures have been 
supported by the local poultry industry, the 
Agriculture Ministry is expected to return to 
Brussels to seek additional resources for the 
French poultry industry to deal with this 
potential crisis. 
 
¶5.  (U)  The apparent case of avian flu in France's 
domestic industry has given renewed impetus to the 
vaccination against H5N1 of some 900,000 geese and 
ducks being raised in three French departments 
(Vendee, Landes, and Loire-Atlantique) where 
confinement is not possible.  The green light was 
given by the EU in Brussels on Wednesday for 
vaccination of these flocks to proceed. 
 
¶6.  (U)  Comment:  It is not yet clear how the 
turkeys - which reportedly were confined - became 
infected.  This has caused speculation in the 
press and raised public anxiety. End Comment. 
 
 
HOFMANN