After more than six months of one of the most deadly epizootics, "this is a very favorable new stage, which allows us to consider that the crisis is behind us", estimated the office of Minister Marc Fesneau, during a point of hurry.

A decree will be published Wednesday in the Official Journal on "recommendation of the health authorities, given the absence of new outbreaks since May 17".

“The overall improvement in the situation in the migratory corridors, associated with seasonal temperatures unfavorable to the survival of the virus”, also weighed in the decision of the ministry.

All the French departments fall back into the “negligible” category, but certain areas, such as the Great West or the Dordogne, the most damaged by this episode, “remain concerned by health measures”.

They retain cleaning obligations or movement bans, which the ministry hopes to lift "within a few weeks", with a gradual return of poultry to farms.

Several aids have already been released to support breeders: a deposit on the market value of slaughtered animals of 54.4 million euros has been paid and will be supplemented by another 6.2 million.

An episode of unprecedented magnitude

An economic aid scheme of 33 million euros has also been opened to support the sector during this “unprecedented” crisis, targeting for the moment the South-West region and the North, with 17 million already paid.

Another envelope will later be made available for the Center and the Great West, said the ministry, which is waiting to “know the effect on the sectors to assess the needs”.

The risk defined as “high” since November 5 had dropped to the “moderate” level on May 10 over a majority of the territory, with the exception of 19 departments.

This episode of bird flu on an unprecedented scale has led to the slaughter of 16 million poultry since November, including 11 million in the Great West, with a total of 1,378 farms affected by the virus.

The European Ministers of Agriculture approved at the end of May the development of vaccination of poultry in order to stem the spread of avian flu.

In France, experiments were launched on May 10, with results "expected by the end of 2022 at the latest".

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