Highly pathogenic avian influenza: France places its territory at “moderate” risk level to strengthen protection of poultry farms
A decree published on October 15 in the Official Journal raises the risk level for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) from "negligible" to "moderate" throughout metropolitan France. Prevention and biosecurity measures for poultry farms are being strengthened.
Detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) are increasing in Europe in wild and farmed birds, particularly in Eastern Europe, as far as Germany and Italy. These cases confirm a strong infection dynamic in wild birds, including in birds using active migration corridors upstream of France.
Given the risk of introduction of HPAI viruses into France from migratory wild birds, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry is raising the risk level from "negligible" to "moderate" across the entire metropolitan territory as of October 16, 2024 (see the ministerial decree here ). France had been at the "negligible" risk level since May 3, 2024.
This decision results in the implementation of the following reinforced prevention and biosecurity measures:
- in areas at risk of dissemination (ZRD [1] ) , concerning municipalities with a high density of web-footed birds: sheltering web-footed birds under 42 days old.
- in areas of particular risk (ZRP [2] ) , wetlands in which natural conditions increase the risk of contamination of livestock by wild fauna: sheltering of poultry, all species; measures concerning hunting: restrictions on transport and use of decoys, conditions before the release of game birds.
- in areas at risk of dissemination (ZRD) and in areas at particular risk (ZRP) : ban on gatherings of birds.
- for the entire territory : covering of vehicles transporting web-footed birds.
