Are we heading towards a new crisis of bird flu In France ? The level of risk linked to the disease will in any case be raised on Saturday from “moderate” to “high” in the French metropolitan territory, i.e. the highest level. An alert which notably leads to poultry confinementaccording to a decree published Friday in the Official Journal.
Compulsory confinement in certain poultry farms
The decision has been made “considering the strong and persistent dynamics of infection in migration corridors and the spread of the virus by these migratory birds passing through mainland French territory”.
That “aims to strengthen surveillance and prevention measures”details the text which comes into force “the day after its publication”. The epizootic risk to which poultry and other captive birds are exposed in the event of infection of wild birds with a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) is classified into three categories, “negligible”, “moderate” and “high”. .
In the event of a “high” risk, poultry are particularly “taken to shelter, their food and water are protected” in the breeding of more than 50 birds. Poultry and birds are “confined or protected by nets” in the smallest.
Avian influenza: the number of cases on the rise in Europe
In Europethe avian influenza virus has been detected in 24 countries and the number of outbreaks is increasing, especially in Hungary, according to the latest weekly bulletin from the French animal health epidemiological surveillance platform.
The bulletin identifies a “a strong infection dynamic present since the end of September and increasing in wild birds”.
Eight outbreaks of avian flu detected in France
In Francein total, “six outbreaks of poultry, two outbreaks of captive birds and ten wild cases” have been identified since the start of the season.
The avian flu epidemic, which is more widespread in America, Europe, Africa and Asia, affected France from 2015 to 2017 and then almost continuously since the end of 2020. The country has euthanized tens of millions of poultry in recent years. recent years. The economic losses amount to billions of euros.
Vaccination of ducks compulsory on certain farms
France remained at a “high” risk level from December 2023, before it was lowered to “negligible” at the end of April 2024. It was raised to “moderate” on October 16.
To break this spiral, the government decided to make vaccination compulsory on the farms of more than 250 ducks (excluding breeding stock) at the end of 2023. The 2024-2025 campaign, 70% supported by the State, was launched at the beginning of October in France.
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