10 Nov 2022

Poultry to be kept indoors in France due to high HPAI risk

The avian influenza alert has passed from "moderate" to "high" in France, leading the government to order to keep birds indoors to control...

AviNews International Team

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The avian influenza alert has changed from “moderate” to “high” in France, leading the government to order to keep birds indoors to control the spread of the virus, said the French Agriculture Minister on November 10.

“The European Union’s second-largest poultry producer has detected a fresh rise in bird flu outbreaks in the past months after this year seeing its worst-ever wave of the disease, with about 22 million birds culled.”

A total of 49 outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have been detected on French farms from August 1 until November 8. These outbreaks were found in wild birds and domesticated fowl in backyards.

“In a context marked by the unprecedented persistence of the virus in the environment and the strong migratory activity of wild birds, it is essential to strengthen preventive measures to avoid contamination of poultry farms,” it said in a statement.

Despite the virus not affecting food, the government and the poultry industry are worried about the effect of avian influenza in the flocks due to the rapid spread of the disease and, consequently, the economic losses caused by culling chicks, trade restrictions, and the risk of being transmitted to humans.

Therefore, the increase in the number of outbreaks resulted in a “high” risk level of bird flu in France, which was previously set at “moderate.” It means that all poultry should be kept indoors on farms and additional security measures taken, including for hunting, to avoid the spread of the disease.

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This year Europe is experimenting with what industry considers the worst bird flu outbreaks in history. Around 50 million poultry among broilers, broiler breeders, turkeys, backyard poultry, and more have been culled as a measure to reduce the disease. However, as the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) said, the persistence of the virus over the summer has raised the risk of widespread infections next season.

Bird flu usually strikes during the autumn and winter months. It is transmitted by infected feces from migrating wild birds or direct contact with contaminated feed, clothing, and equipment in the air.

Source: Reuters

It may interest you: Bird flu from 2021-2022 is the worst European crisis affecting birds

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