Since August, France has recorded 12 contained outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.  Surveillance has been lifted Nationwide since there have been no incident cases for five consecutive weeks. France has returned to freedom from avian influenza attributed to the introduction of a vaccination program.

Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, stated, “Good news for our poultry sector, enabled by the vaccination strategy implemented since October 2023 and will be continued in 2025.”

The foie gras subsector of the poultry industry in France was the most affected with HPAI in 2022 since ducks and geese allowed outside access were susceptible to infection by migratory waterfowl.

The situation in France contrasts to Eastern Europe that is recording outbreaks in both backyard and commercial farms, attesting to the inability of a stamping out of individual cases to effectively control infection.  Given the seasonal reintroduction of H5N1 and possibly other H5 strains by marine and migratory waterfowl, it is necessary to create immunity among populations of commercial flocks that are concentrated in areas conforming to flyways.