France: Avian influenza risk level raised from negligible to moderate

As a result of the dynamics of infection in wild and farmed birds in Europe, particularly in the migration corridors upstream of France, the Ministry of Agriculture decided on October 15 to raise the status of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) by one notch from "negligible" to "moderate" across the entire national territory. As of October 14 and since August 1, four outbreaks have been detected in farms: one in Ille-et-Vilaine on August 12, 2024, one in Morbihan on August 20, and two in Finistère on September 2 and 29. Impact on farming practices Raising the risk level by one notch implies strengthening the following prevention and biosecurity measures: - for the entire territory: covering vehicles transporting web-footed birds. - in areas at risk of spread (ZRD), concerning municipalities with a high density of palmipeds: sheltering of palmipeds under 42 days old. - in areas at particular risk (ZRP), wetlands in which natural conditions increase the risk of contamination ...