France raised its bird flu alert level to “high” from “moderate” on Tuesday, requiring poultry farms across the country to keep their birds indoors as Europe faces a seasonal resurgence of the disease.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza is a seasonal disease transmitted by migratory birds. It has led to the killing of tens of millions of poultry worldwide in recent years, disrupting poultry production and raising fears of its transmission to humans.
“This decree… was issued following indications of infection among migratory wild birds in Europe, including France, and the confirmation of several cases in poultry farms,” ​​the country’s agriculture ministry said in the government’s official gazette.
So far, two cases of bird flu have been detected in poultry units and three yards, the ministry said in its decree. The first case was detected in mid-October on a pheasant and partridge farm in northern France.
The change in status will take effect on Wednesday.
The upgrade to risk status in the seasonal assessment takes effect earlier than in previous years, in October instead of November last year and December in 2023.
Source :Skai
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