Author of the article: The Canadian Press Liam Casey Date of publication: Mar 31, 2022 • 34 minutes ago • 4 minutes of reading • Join the discussion A sign at the entrance to a turkey farm in Oxford County, Ontario in 2015 alerts visitors to enhanced biosecurity measures following a bird flu outbreak. A new strain of bird flu has been found on three farms in southern Ontario. Photo by Craig Glover / Postmedia / File
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Rising cases of bird flu across Canada have left dozens of chickens and turkeys dead, poultry farmers devastated and Canada’s top veterinarian is seriously concerned about the coming weeks.
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In less than a week, H5N1 bird flu strain leaked to three commercial poultry farms in southern Ontario, according to the Canadian Food and Drug Administration. These cases were confirmed after a red-tailed hawk in Waterloo, Ont., Was found to have bird flu 10 days ago. The CFIA has quarantined these three Ontario farms and set up a 10-kilometer control zone to restrict animal movement. Nearby farms were also helped to implement enhanced biosecurity measures to control the spread of the virus. Dr. Mary-Jane Ireland, chief veterinarian for the CFIA, said she was concerned about the coming days as it was a migration season for many wild birds that could transmit the disease.
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“It’s a pretty devastating disease,” Ireland said in an interview. “We are worried, this is a high-risk period and the birds are migrating. “We found it in Canada and more recently in Ontario; that is why we are asking people to take precautions.” Outbreaks of bird flu have led to 24 countries temporarily banning imports of poultry or poultry products from parts of Canada and in some cases from across the country, the CFIA said, although a group of farm participants noted that Canadian poultry production intended largely for domestic purposes. The risk to the general public is low. Avian flu is not a major public health concern for humans, Ireland said, and food safety is not a problem either.
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However, the impact on agricultural activities can be serious. Avian flu began to cross commercial farms in Europe last year and then hit the United States. It was confirmed in Canada on December 22, 2021, with the CFIA saying it was spotted on an exhibition farm on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador. The virus was then found on January 11 in a small herd on the same peninsula. The agency found it again on two commercial farms in Nova Scotia in February and in a herd of duck and chicken in the backyard in March. Avian flu was first spotted on a farm near Guelph, OD, last Sunday. He was then found on a farm near London, Ont., On Monday, and at another farm, in Woolwich, Ont., On Wednesday. The H5N1 virus is highly contagious, Ireland explained.
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“Infected birds can expel the virus in their saliva, birth secretions and feces,” he said. “And it can spread through contact with surfaces.” These surfaces may include shoes, trash, bedding and water, he said. Anyone with birds should keep them away from wild birds. Frequently clean poultry coops, water, feeders and clothes. and check what comes in and out of a coop or barn, Ireland said. Wild migratory waterfowl are the main reservoir for the bird flu virus, he said. “These birds, we believe, have brought the disease to the area,” Ireland said. “And wild birds are migrating right now.” The virus can also be transmitted to farms from contaminated manure and contaminated waste, he said.
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Anyone observing wild birds showing neurological symptoms or farms seeing sudden bird deaths should contact the CFIA or a local veterinarian, Ireland said. The Feather Board Command Center, a team of poultry and members of the feed, processing and service industries, is helping to deal with such emergencies, said its president, Ingrid DeVisser. “There is a lot of stress on farmers, not just on contaminated facilities, but on control zones right now,” DeVisser said. As much of southern Ontario is part of a natural flight zone for migratory waterfowl, he said more cases are expected. “Farmers everywhere should be very aware of what is happening and be extremely careful on their farms with their biosecurity measures, whether they are commercial farms or backyard farms.
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The council assists affected farmers with clean-up measures and helps them navigate the bureaucracy involved with the CFIA and insurance companies following the detection of bird flu in their herds. He said all farmers, not just those in the control zone, should use only clothing and boots when going to areas where birds are kept, using hair nets, masks, hand sanitizers and plenty of cleaning. Lisa Bishop-Spencer, a spokeswoman for the Feather Board Command Center, said Canada did not export much poultry, so temporary import bans as a result of the outbreaks did not have a significant impact. “The Canadian poultry and egg sector is a supply-side sector, which means it mainly supplies the domestic market,” he said. Ontario has advised small herd owners and other zoos to avoid attending exhibitions, exchanges and discounts at this time. Feather Board’s DeVisser, who is also a turkey farmer in Bruce County, OD, said she was constantly concerned about the virus. “We are just doing the best we can to be as careful as we can on our farm,” he said. “Observing our birds, keeping them healthy and doing what we can.”
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