France reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza among red foxes northeast of Paris, Reuters reported, citing the Word Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) on Tuesday, as a spread of the virus to mammals is raising concern globally.

After three foxes were found dead in a nature reserve near where gulls had died, one of the foxes was collected and tested, it said in a report, citing French authorities.

The strain detected was H5N1, like the one that has been spreading around the world in the past year, killing more than 200 million birds.