The situation is now stabilized in several affected areas of the Southwest but some new outbreaks are still being detected. The level of risk that had been considered "high" since 17 November 2020 rose to "moderate" throughout the metropolitan area on 24 April.
As a reminder, this avian influenza virus (H5N8) exclusively affects birds; it is not transmissible to humans who can safely consume meat of avian origin, eggs, foie gras and more generally any poultry food product.
The Minister of Agriculture and Food, Julien Denormandie, visited successively in the Landes and then in the Gers at the beginning of the year, to express the state's support for poultry sectors hit hard by this new outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (IAHP). He also praised the services of the State and all those who are fully mobilized in the management of this crisis.
As of 28 April, France has 492 outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in livestock confirmed by the ANSES National Reference Laboratory (NRL).
These households are divided into:
475 livestock outbreaks in the Southwest;
17 homes outside the Southwest;
It also recorded 19 cases in wildlife and 1 case in captive wildlife.
It is worth recalling the urgent need to ensure biosecurity on farms; The Government has provided aid for this purpose in the Recovery Plan.
The state will be present alongside the breeders concerned; their losses will be compensated in accordance with European and national regulations. A down payment system to compensate for the value of slaughtered animals is already in place.
Faced with an extremely contagious virus between birds this year, poultry farms were rapidly depopulated within a 5 km radius, and movements prohibited within a 20 km radius.
In the south-west, the improved health situation has led to the lifting of movement restrictions and the reintroducing of galliforms in a large part of the municipalities. Only surveillance, enhanced surveillance and protection areas are still restricted. ■
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