December 23, 2024

France declares bird flu-free status amid continued vigilance

France has announced its status as free from highly pathogenic avian influenza following more than a month without new outbreaks, according to its agriculture ministry.

Despite this milestone, the country remains on high alert due to the virus's rapid spread across Europe.

Since early August, France recorded 12 outbreaks of bird flu at farms and three cases among backyard poultry. Surveillance at the sites of the most recent cases was lifted within the past week, the ministry confirmed in a statement issued on Wednesday.

Regaining bird flu-free status under international guidelines could positively impact French trade, potentially leading importing countries to lift restrictions imposed after previous outbreaks.

Acting Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard highlighted the role of vaccination in achieving this status. In a post on X, she stated, "Good news for our poultry sector, enabled by the vaccination strategy implemented since October 2023 and which will continue in 2025."

France initiated its vaccination programme a year ago, targeting farm ducks, which are particularly vulnerable to bird flu. Ducks are a key part of the poultry sector, especially in the production of foie gras pate.

While France marks this progress, the US is confronting new challenges related to bird flu. The country recently reported its first severe human case of the virus, suspected to have arisen from contact with an infected backyard flock. Transmission to cattle has also been identified, further complicating the situation.

-      Reuters