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Also known as H5N1, a disease reported under Canada’s Animal Health Regulations, bird flu is a contagious viral infection that can affect many species of food-producing birds, as well as poultry and wild birds. Tests on the poultry herd were conducted late last week. There are no reports of human disease associated with this herd. Last month, the H5N1 virus was detected in Ontario in wild and commercial poultry. This same strain has also been found in many other jurisdictions around the world, including other provinces of Canada and the United States. Its spread has been attributed mainly to the migration of infected waterfowl. Indigenous communities are managed by the Community Health Center under the supervision of the Head of the Community and of the Council. The participation of any other body must be done with their permission. It is best practice for such a service to assist the Health Center in developing its capacity to address the issue in question with a view to promoting independence. Along with the Gray Bruce Health Unit, stakeholders are the Ontario Department of Health, the Ontario Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The Community Health Center in Neyaashiinigmiing oversees contact detection, which focuses on anyone who has been exposed to infected birds 21 days before the bird disease. Contacts are advised to watch for signs and symptoms for seven days after their last exposure. Post-exposure precautions are recommended for anyone exposed without the use of appropriate personal protective equipment. Biosafety protocols exist around the facility where the infected poultry flock is located. The risk for the public to catch H5N1 from poultry or poultry products is very low. Transmission from birds to humans usually occurs only through close contact with infected birds or highly contaminated environments. You do not need to change your eating habits or travel plans.
