Since the end of last year, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has identified cases of H5N1 strain of avian influenza in at least 20 commercial poultry flocks in Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Several farms have been quarantined. In southwestern Ontario, the CFIA has set up two bird control zones to curb the spread of bird flu.
In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says poultry outbreaks have been reported in 24 states, killing nearly 23 million chickens and turkeys.
However, the origin of this recent wave of epidemics remains unclear.
“That’s the multimillion-dollar question,” Dr. Sayan Sharif, a professor and associate dean at the Ontario College of Veterinary Medicine, told CTVNews.ca in a telephone interview Thursday. “What we do know is that it started in eastern Canada.”
Avian influenza occurs naturally in many wild birds, which can then spread to poultry farms through bird droppings and nasal secretions. Experts say contaminated equipment, clothing, boots and vehicles carrying supplies can also transmit the flu to poultry farms.
The first cases of bird flu were confirmed at a farm on Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula last December, following the sudden death of birds within days. A second outbreak was confirmed in the Avalon Peninsula in January.
By February, the flu had spread to farms in Nova Scotia and the United States. Between March 27 and April 6, bird flu was reported in 10 flocks in Ontario.
This time of year is also one of the busiest seasons for migratory birds. Sharif believes the flu has the potential to spread to more provinces. While no cases have been reported on farms in Quebec, three cases of bird flu have been reported in Canadian geese in the province.
“Migratory birds have very clear fly paths. But sometimes, they can also go astray and go to various other locations. So as a result, I will not be surprised to see if other provinces are affected, but I hope not,” he said. .
Although no cases have been reported at zoos yet, organizations such as the Toronto Zoo are closing livestock stores to the public and adding extra security to bird shelters to keep wild birds out.
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Fears of a bird flu outbreak in Canada have prompted some countries to impose trade restrictions on Canadian poultry products.
South Korea and the Philippines have imposed restrictions on poultry products from across Canada, while the US and Europe are restricting products from specific affected areas.
However, Sharif says it is “very unlikely” that a person will catch the virus from food.
“Even though it may be present in human food, the reality is that this virus is quite sensitive to heat. Thus, cooking your chicken or cooking your egg will completely eliminate the virus.
The Ontario Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs also said bird flu “does not pose a threat to food safety” and that poultry and eggs from the province “are safe to eat when handled and cooked properly”.
So far, there have been no cases of bird flu in humans in either Canada or the United States, but Sharif says he remains concerned about the possibility that the bird flu virus could infect humans, as the virus has a high susceptibility. to mutate.
“I would watch it very carefully because this virus, like all flu viruses, has a very wide range of host species,” he said. “If it does mutate and acquire the ability to transmit to humans, then you could be dealing with another pandemic virus.”
With files from the Associated Press and the Canadian Press.
