In Europe, the 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.
In France, in total, “six poultry outbreaks, two captive bird outbreaks and ten wild cases” have been identified since the start of the season. A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was detected in recent hours in a domestic poultry farm in Saint-Étienne-d'Orthe, in the south of the Landes department, and another a few days earlier in a poultry farm. poultry in Evelys, in Morbihan.
The French authorities, who until now considered the risk as “moderate”, have decided to increase it to “high” according to a decree published this Friday in the Official Journal. For the authorities, this decision is justified by “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”. “This measure aims to strengthen surveillance and prevention measures.”
Poultry, even if vaccinated, must be confined
Concretely, from Saturday, poultry are notably “sheltered and their feeding and watering are protected” in farms of more than 50 birds. Poultry and birds are “confined or protected by nets” in the smallest.
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.
To break this spiral, the government has decided to make vaccination compulsory in farms of more than 250 ducks (excluding breeding ducks) at the end of 2023. The 2024-2025 campaign, 70% supported by the State, was launched at the beginning October in France. The government ordered, at the beginning of July, “67.75 million doses of vaccines from the Ceva Santé Animale and Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health laboratories”, according to a press release. This renewal of the vaccination campaign was desired and awaited by foie gras duck breeders after the successful one last year when only around ten outbreaks were detected since the fall of 2023.
France is the only country in Europe to vaccinate farm animals against avian flu. But this approach has at least temporarily closed export markets, such as Japan.
However, other countries in Europe have also taken action. The Austrian Health Ministry declared the entire country a risk zone following the outbreak of the virus in the Lower Austrian district of Amstetten a week ago. New cases were recently detected on four farms with around 200,000 animals in Upper and Lower Austria. A protection zone has also been set up around affected farms within a three km radius. If necessary, it could be extended to 10 km. Veterinarians will check dozens of farms to detect possible new cases.
