France has reported two outbreaks of WNV in horses in the Bouches du Rhone region (OIE, 2015; see map). In one case, a three year old Lusitano horse exhibited neurological signs on August the 11th and was humanely destroyed on the 19th August. Of the sixty horses remaining at the premises, two more are showing suspect clinical signs and all are being tested. In the second case, an Anglo-Arabian mare, also exhibiting clinical signs, was humanely destroyed on August 17th. Of the remaining 19 horses at the premises, all are clinically well and are undergoing tests. The farms are both on the outskirts of the Camargue National Park. In the following days, a further 5 outbreaks were then reported in the same region. Disease control measures, including movement restriction of susceptible horses and vector control, are in place.

These are the first outbreaks to be reported in France since 2006.

WNV is a notifiable disease.