France detects possible bird flu outbreak on northern farm

LILLE, France (Reuters) - French authorities reported a possible outbreak of bird flu on a poultry farm in the far north of the country on Wednesday, which could mark a spreading of the disease beyond the southwest foie gras producing region where millions of birds have been culled.

Traces of a severe bird flu virus were found on chickens at a farm near the port town of Dunkirk, which is close to the Belgian border, local authorities said in a statement, adding that further tests were being conducted to confirm the outbreak.