The decision was taken “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 “aims to strengthen surveillance and prevention measures”, details the text which comes into force “the day after its publication”.
In a joint press release, the minority agricultural unions Confédération paysanne and Modef denounce “the obligation to confine all poultry”, according to them “incomprehensible”. “The same rules have applied every winter for several years, without having proven their effectiveness. How can we still lock ourselves in this denial of reality? »
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”. .
Virus detected in 24 countries
In the event of a “high” risk, 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.
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. The bulletin identifies a “strong infection dynamic present since the end of September and increasing among wild birds”.
In France, in total, “six poultry outbreaks, two captive bird outbreaks and ten wild cases” have been identified since the start of the season.
The avian flu epidemic, which rages from the Americas to Australia, 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. The economic losses amount to billions of euros.
France
