France returns to high risk for avian flu. An outbreak was detected in Landes despite vaccination.
Faced with the evolution of cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wildlife and on livestock farms, France is at high risk from November 9, 2024.
A first home on a Landes duck farm
An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza has just been confirmed in a duck farm located in the town of Saint-Étienne d'Orthe. These animals had been vaccinated against HPAI, in accordance with regulations.
To avoid any risk of spreading the virus to other farms, the prefect of Landes has issued an order defining regulated zones specified in the appendix:
– 8 municipalities are concerned within the 3 km radius (protection zone),
– 20 municipalities are affected by the 10 km zone (surveillance zone).
In these zones, all places where poultry and captive birds are kept are subject to specific requirements. Movements of poultry and other captive birds, and any introduction of new animals of this type, are prohibited, unless an exemption is granted by State services. HPAI surveillance is also reinforced by carrying out self-checks made obligatory by prefectural decree.
As part of measures to combat the spread of the virus, an operation to depopulate the 6,400 animals present on the farm affected by the outbreak began this Thursday, November 7 and will conclude this Friday, November 8. State services, and in particular staff from the Departmental Directorate of Employment, Labor, Solidarity and Population Protection (DDETSPP), have been mobilized alongside the breeder since the outbreak was declared. They will be present on site as part of the animal euthanasia operation.
In this context, the prefect recalls the importance of each actor in the sector applying all the biosecurity and surveillance measures falling within their responsibility, in addition to the protection provided by the vaccination system deployed on farms since October 2023.
The purpose of these measures is:
– to prevent the introduction of the virus from wildlife and through human activities,
– and to limit its diffusion within sectors exposed to significant consequences in terms of economics and food sovereignty.
The same recommendations apply to individuals who keep backyard and ornamental birds.
Finally, the prefect particularly wishes to emphasize that the consumption of meat, foie gras and eggs – and more generally of any food product based on poultry meat – presents no risk to human health.
List of municipalities constituting the protection zone (ZP):
Orist 40211
Pey 40222
Port-de-Lanne 40231
Saint-Étienne-d’Orthe 40256
Saint-Jean-de-Marsacq 40264
Saint-Lon-les-Mines 40269
Sainte-Marie-de-Gosse 40271
Saint-Martin-de-Hinx 40272
List of municipalities constituting the surveillance zone (ZS):
Bélus 40034
Biarrotte 40042
Biaudos 40044
Prize pool 40059
Cauneille 40077
Hastingues 40120
Heugas 40125
Josse 40129
Oeyregave 40206
Orthevielle 40212
Peyrehorade 40224
Rivière-Saas-et-Gourby 40244
Saint-André-de-Seignanx 40248
Saint-Geours-de-Maremne 40261
Saint-Laurent-de-Gosse 40268
Saint-Vincent-de-Tyrosse 40284
Saubrigues 40292
40293 to Saubu
Siest 40301
Tercis-les-Bains 40314
The first cases in August
For the 2024/25 season, the first outbreaks of HPAI were detected in France during the month of August 2024. Monitoring of HPAI outbreaks in France and Europe is offered on the Epidémiosurveillance platform. animal health and updated weekly.
Management measures in case of outbreaks
When an outbreak is detected, health measures are deployed to limit the spread of the virus:
In infected establishments:
o Depopulation of households;
o If necessary, preventive killing of animals within a perimeter defined by prefectural decree;
o Cleaning and disinfection of sites.
In establishments close to infected establishments: establishment of restricted zones (protection and surveillance zone) with reinforced measures:
o Surveillance accrue ;
o Reinforced biosecurity (protection from birds);
o Prohibition of poultry movements;
o Restriction of feathered game hunting activities.
Restricted areas and access to the PIGMA platform
The list of municipalities in protection zones (ZP) and surveillance zones (ZS) is indicated in the prefectural zone orders published in the collection of administrative acts of each department, as well as in the Commission's implementing decisions concerning the emergency measures motivated by the appearance of outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in certain Member States.
In addition, the state departmental services (DDetsPP) provide information on regulated areas in an information system, which can be consulted on the PIGMA platform.
ZRP = Particular risk zone: zone in which natural conditions increase the risk of contamination of farms by wildlife. It can be located at a wild bird migration corridor or correspond to a wetland where birds like to rest.
ZRD = Zone at risk of diffusion: zone with a high density of poultry farms. This situation leading to proximity of farms, the risk of spreading the virus increases considerably.
