From December 31, 2019 to January 29, 2020, 29 outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) were declared in domestic poultry, one outbreak in wild birds in captivity, as well as two cases in wild birds. The HPAI viruses identified are different from those circulating in Europe in 2016 and 2018.
The migration periods and movements of wild birds have an impact on the level of risk of transmission of influenza viruses to poultry farms and captive birds. Today, the southward migrations which extend from the end of August to mid-December have been completed and the migratory birds currently present in the countries of Eastern Europe will migrate north-east and away from France. Thus, in view of the current situation, ANSES assessed the level of risk of transmission of the virus by wild birds, according to the criteria it had set in 2016 (PDF), as part of a previous episode of ‘Avian influenza.
Following this emergency assessment, the experts concluded that in the current situation there is no need to raise the level of risk in force, whatever the areas considered in France, whether they are wet, with a high density of open-air farms, or in the rest of the territory. They nevertheless underline that the possible appearance of an intense and prolonged cold snap in the weeks to come might lead to this conclusion being reconsidered.
They also recommend strengthening surveillance in wild birds in France and maintaining the awareness of poultry owners of infection and biosecurity measures, including in connection with the transport of poultry. The recent outbreak in Germany in a barnyard near Stuttgart confirms the importance of these recommendations.
