Avian flu epidemic is heading north

By Steve Galea Wild birds play a key role in the spread of an extremely pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak in Ontario this spring. The HPAI, more commonly known as bird flu, was spotted in March near Waterloo on a wild hawk with a red tail that looked sick. At the time of the press release, the virus was also detected in 10 other locations, the closest to Haliburton County being Selwyn Township. There, the virus was found in a flock of chickens in the yard, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Service. The Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) warns that the HPAI epidemic is “rapidly evolving” and says it expects more cases to be detected in the coming weeks as migratory birds return to their northern hangouts. HPAI is highly contagious and poses the greatest threat to domestic poultry, where it can cause high rates of disease and mortality.
Infected birds may present with lack of energy, movement or appetite, decreased egg production, swelling around the head, neck and eyes, coughing, wheezing or sneezing, nerve signs, tremor or lack of coordination, diarrhea or sudden death. The CWS recommends that members of the public should not handle live wild birds or those found dead. If contact with wild birds is unavoidable, CWS advises wearing gloves or using a double plastic bag and avoiding contact with blood, body fluids and feces. This should be followed by thorough hand washing with soap and warm water. There have been no known cases of avian influenza transmitted from wild birds to humans. Most cases of avian influenza in humans worldwide are due to close contact with infected poultry or their contaminated environment. The CWS says HPAIs have infected more than 100 species of wild birds worldwide, but infections are more common among waterfowl such as ducks, geese, swans, seagulls and seabirds, which are considered the natural reservoir for avian influenza viruses. Most wild birds infected with HPAI remain asymptomatic, but wild bird mortality has emerged from this strain. There is evidence that predators and certain species of scavengers are susceptible to mortality from the virus. The CWS asks those who observe sick or dead birds and suspect that they may be infected, contact the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative at 866-673-4781 or report them online to cwhc.wildlifesubmissions.org Regarding bird food, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change advises people not to handle or feed any wild birds by hand. They also recognize that feeding encourages wild birds to gather around food sources and may increase the likelihood of transmission between wild birds, both within and between species. Having said that they still say that the use of bird feeders is safe, but advise to remove the feeders from areas that are open to poultry and other pets. They also advise poultry caregivers to prevent contact between wild birds and poultry by removing external / external food, water and shelter sources that attract wild birds. They also advise the use of a weak household bleach solution (10 percent sodium hypochlorite) to clean bird feeders. Make sure they are rinsed and dry well before reusing.