France has imposed "high alert" and care for avian influenza in the country. The country's Ministry of Agriculture has ordered producers to keep the birds trapped in farms in order to contain the spread of the disease.

The French are in second place to the highest poultry production in the European Union and have detected an increase in avian influenza outbreaks in recent months. Just this year, the country had the worst wave of the disease, totaling about 22 million birds slaughtered.

"In a context marked by the persistence of the virus in the environment and the strong migratory activity of wild birds, it is essential to reinforce preventive measures to prevent contamination of poultry farms," the ministry said.

Avian flu outbreak in France

The spread of the virus worries governments and the poultry industry due to the devastation it can cause in herds, the possibility of trade restrictions and the risk of human transmission.

The level of risk considered "high", previously defined as "moderate", implies that all poultry are kept inside farms and that additional safety measures are taken, including for hunting, to prevent the spread of the disease. The information is from Reuters.

Source: Canal Rural