Less than 20 days after regaining its “avian influenza-free country” status on 17 December, France has once again lost this status. Specifically, in late December 2024, two new outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) were detected in Eure and Calvados, in Northwest France, as announced on Monday 30 December by the Ministry of Agriculture. The detection of two outbreaks, “on 27 December in Eure and 28 December in Calvados, is a reminder of the importance of complying with all biosecurity measures”, the ministry said in a press release.
“As a direct consequence of these detections, France loses its highly pathogenic avian influenza-free status, which it had only just regained as of 15 December”, the text emphasises. This “disease-free“ status, which offers more favourable prospects for exports, is regained if no outbreak is detected for at least twenty-eight days anywhere in the country.
According to France Bleu Normandie, this second avian influenza outbreak was detected on a farm near Honfleur, whose owner had obtained poultry from the infected farm in Eure, in La Poterie-Mathieu. According to the same article, the culling of all birds (approximately 500 hens, guinea fowl and capons reared in buildings) was scheduled for Tuesday 31 December.
The prefecture of Calvados confirmed on Monday evening 30 December that a prefectural order declaring the infection had just “been confirmed following positive results regarding the presence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus“ and that the animals were to be culled “as soon as possible”.
France also remains at “high” risk level, particularly in view of the possibility of infections linked to wild bird migration, the ministry said. France has three risk levels (high, moderate and negligible), a parameter independent of the country’s status with respect to the epidemic.
As soon as the outbreaks were detected, “the relevant prefectures issued a zoning order delimiting a protection zone within 3 km around each outbreak and a surveillance zone between 3 and 10 km“. These measures are in addition to the “depopulation [euthanasia of the animals] of both sites and their cleaning and disinfection by a specialist company”, according to the press release.
Furthermore, France is continuing the rollout of its second compulsory duck vaccination campaign against HPAI, launched on 1 October 2024. The ministry reiterates that “the consumption of meat, foie gras and eggs, and in general any food product made from poultry meat, poses no risk to human health”.
Understanding the difference between “status” and “risk level”
-. Status (disease-free or not: how is status defined? A country free of highly pathogenic avian influenza loses its status as soon as a new outbreak is detected in poultry. It regains its disease-free status if no outbreak is detected for at least 28 days.
-. What is the impact of the status? The situation is likely to have an impact primarily on export prospects.
-. Risk level (negligible, moderate, high): how is the risk level defined? The risk level is set by the national authorities based on exposure to migratory bird movements capable of introducing the disease. This parameter is independent of France’s status with respect to highly pathogenic avian influenza (free or not).
-. What is the impact of the risk level? Each risk level corresponds to a specific number of preventive measures that must be taken by poultry sector professionals (housing of animals, restrictions on animal transport, etc.).
For further information:
-. Real-time updated map of areas affected by Avian Influenza in France
-. French Ministry of Agriculture: official website on Avian Influenza
-. Avian Influenza on NeXusAvicultura.com