France has recorded 30 times fewer outbreaks of contamination this year

France has just lowered its risk level for avian flu. It goes from “high” to “moderate”, which makes it possible again for poultry to be taken outdoors on farms. The Ministry of Agriculture announced this on Saturday March 16. This is good news because since December, poultry could no longer stay outdoors. From now on, outings are possible again, with this lowered level of risk. France has only recorded 10 outbreaks of avian flu on farms since August 2023. This is 30 times fewer than during the previous season. A welcome improvement, because between 2021 and 2023, France has had to slaughter 30 million poultry contaminated by avian flu.

Several factors explain this improvement. Less circulation of the virus in wildlife, while the migrations of birds crossing France towards the north are coming to an end. France has detected 300 fewer wild outbreaks than in 2022. We must also see a positive effect of the vaccination of ducks made compulsory for the first time this winter on farms, underlines Jean-Luc Guérin, professor at the School national veterinary office of Toulouse. More than 21 million ducks received at least one injection against bird flu this year.

Implementation of measures other than vaccination

The question of extending vaccination in the future to other poultry such as chickens or turkeys is nevertheless not resolved because of its impact, around 100 million this year. Furthermore, the Ministry of Agriculture recalls the importance of measures other than vaccination to fight against avian flu, “biosecurity” measures, such as disinfection of equipment, reduction of water points, installing protective nets or wild bird scaring systems to block transmission of the virus. Some 92 poultry farms have been selected to test new pilot measures starting this March. The objective is to find effective alternatives to compulsory confinement.