The level of risk linked to avian flu in mainland France will be raised on Saturday from “moderate” to “high”, the highest level which notably entails the confinement of poultry, according to a decree of October 31 published this Friday in the Official Journal.
According to the text, the decision was 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”, he continues.
“Incomprehensible”
Two minority unions, Confédération paysanne and Modef, reacted this Friday with a joint press release, denouncing “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 be locked into this denial of reality?” they added.
This Thursday, a new case of avian influenza has been identified in Landes. According to the weekly bulletin distributed by the Ministry of Agriculture on November 5, two farms were concerned in Morbihan. In France, in total, “six outbreaks of poultry, two outbreaks of captive birds and ten wild cases” have been identified since the start of the season, the document continues. In Europe, the avian influenza virus has been detected in 24 countries and the number of outbreaks is increasing, especially in Hungary, according to this weekly bulletin from the French animal health epidemiological surveillance platform.
In the event of a “high” risk, poultry are notably “taken to shelter and their feeding and watering are protected” in farms with more than 50 birds. Poultry and birds are “confined or protected by nets” in the smallest. Since the fall of 2023, vaccination in farms of more than 250 ducks (excluding breeding ducks) by the end of 2023. Professionals expect the State to maintain its participation – for the moment the majority – in financing vaccination.
Last season, France was placed at “high” risk from December 5 to March 18. The risk had increased from “negligible” to moderate mid-October 2024.
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