Canada steps up fight against avian influenza

Canada is actively managing outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), subtype H5, affecting both domestic and wild bird populations. To date, the strain of HPAI detected in dairy cattle in the United States has not been found in any domestic poultry flocks in Canada.

In February, Canada reported an outbreak of H5N5 avian influenza at a non-commercial backyard layer poultry farm in Newfoundland and Labrador.

In June, several provinces reported new cases, with British Columbia being the most affected—approximately 8.7 million birds impacted. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) stresses the importance of enhanced biosecurity measures to help prevent further spread.

Canada is implementing several strategies to control the spread of avian influenza:

• Enhanced surveillance and monitoring to enable rapid response to outbreaks
• Strengthened biosecurity protocols including improved sanitation and disinfection on farms
• Movement and trade restrictions to limit the spread through controlled bird movement and commerce
• Increased testing and mandatory reporting to detect and track infections more effectively

There is no evidence at the moment to suggest that eating cooked poultry products could transmit the virus to humans. Overall, the situation is being monitored closely, and the general public are considered to be at low risk.

Tags: wild birds, outbreaks, highly pathogenic avian influenza, domestic birds, Canada