Avian flu spreads in Ontario

Poultry producers in southern Ontario are facing a spread of avian influenza that has been found on six farms in a little more than a week and has now been detected in wild fowl in Quebec.

The latest infections come on top of six farms reporting bird flu cases in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador between December and March. It also follows the Canadian Food Inspection Agency restricting imports of live birds from 11 U.S. states to try to stem the spread of the highly infectious pathogen.

“It’s significant,” Lisa Bishop-Spencer, communications director with Chicken Farmers of Canada, said of the current spread of the disease.

“If not controlled, it will wipe a flock out and spread to the next one.”

The first confirmed cases of avian influenza in Canada were identified in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland in 2004 and has seen localized instances since then.

Bishop-Spencer said chicken farmers have learned a lot about the bird flu since and have prepared for future outbreaks, but the number of cases and spread of the disease is far more prevalent this year.

“We’ve only had it in one province in a year,” she said.

“This time it’s Newfoundland and Nova Scotia and we are seeing it in wild birds all over.”

Bishop-Spencer said chicken products continue to be safe for consumption, and the risk for cross infections with humans is low.

As of Wednesday, the CFIA is reporting six farms with confirmed infections in southern Ontario: four in commercial poultry flocks and two on small, local operations.

Wednesday also saw the CFIA expand its infected and primary control zone designations for poultry operations located near Kitchener and Woodstock in Ontario.

On March 24, the CFIA issued a notice to the industry of restrictions of live birds, bird products and by-products from U.S. states that have been affected by avian influenza.

Those include Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

The Western Producer

Tags: producers, Avian influenza, bird flu, рoultry, Ontario, CFIA