France raises avian flu risk level to “moderate”

The decision to increase the risk level was adopted “following evidence of infection dynamics in migratory wild birds in neighboring countries,” according to the decree published in the Official Gazette.

The first outbreak of the current autumn was detected on Monday in a turkey farm in the department of Morbihan (west), “not far” from the area where a contaminated seagull was found.

Since October 1, France has required ducks on farms with more than 250 individuals to be vaccinated against avian flu, with the aim of controlling a virus that has forced it to slaughter 32 million poultry since mid-2021.

Avian flu is considered dangerous primarily due to its ability to transmit from birds to humans and its potential to cause serious illness. Some strains of avian influenza viruses, such as the H5N1 subtype, have significantly high mortality rates in humans. When infection occurs, symptoms can be severe, including high fever, difficulty breathing, and, in extreme cases, pneumonia and death.

Furthermore, avian flu poses a pandemic risk if a new subtype of the virus gains the ability to spread efficiently between people, which could have devastating consequences for global public health. Rapid monitoring, effective containment and vaccine development are essential to manage and prevent potential outbreaks of this highly contagious disease.

Content taken from: France 24