The risk of bird flu has been high in France since November 2022 and will drop to “moderate” tomorrow, according to an April 26 decree published in the Official Gazette on Saturday.
Concrètement cela means that the measurements are strengthened for biosecurity, and notably the confinement of volailles and the systematic tests if a foyer is detected within 20 km of exploitation, they are not plus obligatoires on the ensemble of the territory more seulement dans les zones At risk.
Slowdown in bird flu cases
“Considering the decrease in the incidence of avian influenza cases in wild birds and the end of upward migration in metropolitan territory; Considering the decrease in the number of cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in neighboring countries, the level of epizootic risk (…) is classified as +moderate+ in the metropolitan territory as a whole”, indicates the DO.
Since March 2023, France has experienced a sharp slowdown in the increase in the number of HPAI (highly pathogenic avian influenza) outbreaks on its territory. This stabilized at 315 homes in mid-March and has not seen a further increase since then, the Ministry of Agriculture said on Friday.
Since March 14, no cases have been identified on French farms, following the detection of a latest outbreak in Centre-Val-de-Loire. “However, as of April 21, two departments are still affected by outbreaks of bird flu in French territory, and cases of HPAI continue to be detected in wildlife; professionals in the poultry sector and the general public (walkers, hunters, etc.) therefore, they must maintain their vigilance and respect the prevention rules,” added the ministry.
Samples halved
The authorities had announced a first easing of the measures on April 19. In Pays de la Loire, Brittany and Deux-Sèvres, areas particularly affected, the samples to be taken from waterfowl (ducks and geese) to detect the disease have thus been reduced by half.
And in the unharmed areas, the fragile birds had been allowed to go out on a reduced range in the open air, protected from wild birds by nets and fences, “if the criteria of high outdoor temperatures are met for several successive days.”
However, vigilance remains in order because if the mortalities in wildlife have decreased considerably in France, they remain important in Europe, the government stressed. In 2021-2022, the epizootic caused the slaughter of 22 million poultry in France.
Source: BFM TV
