The risk of avian flu increases to “high” in France after the detection of “several outbreaks”

The decree, which comes into force immediately, provides in particular for the confinement of poultry. The government has made vaccination against avian flu compulsory in farms with more than 250 ducks.

The level of risk linked to avian flu has been raised by “moderate” has “pupil” in France, the highest level, after the detection of “several homes” according to a text published in the Official Journal on Monday December 4.

The decree, which comes into force immediately, provides in particular for the confinement of poultry. This decision was made “considering the confirmation of several outbreaks in breeding” And “the dynamics of infection in migration corridors and the possibility of spread of the virus by these migratory birds“, specifies the text.

The risk had been lowered to “negligible” in July and recorded at the end of November at “moderate” after the detection of an outbreak of avian flu on a turkey farm in Morbihan, the first case of autumn 2023 in France. Before that, France had remained at a “high” risk level between November 2022 and April 2023.

Millions of poultry euthanized

Avian flu, which is prevalent in Europe, Asia and Africa, has led to the euthanasia of tens of millions of poultry in recent years in France. According to the latest weekly bulletin (of November 28) from the French animal health epidemiological surveillance platform, 77 outbreaks of avian flu in poultry have been detected in Europe since August 1, mainly in Hungary and the United Kingdom, compared to 48 the previous week. In total, 27 countries have detected avian influenza on their territory, according to the same source.

In the hope of finally controlling the virus, the government has made vaccination against avian flu compulsory in farms with more than 250 ducks, excluding breeding ducks, since October 1. Ducks have been identified as a vector for the spread of the virus as they excrete it into the environment several days before showing symptoms.