The Canadian Food and Drug Administration says this has been an unprecedented year worldwide for bird flu or bird flu as it is also known. Outbreaks of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain have been detected in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Alberta since late 2021. To date, approximately 260,000 birds have been euthanized or killed by the virus in Canada. About 166,000 of them were in Alberta and 84,000 in Ontario. While most forms of bird flu are mild, H5N1 can cause serious illness and death in birds. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada says there are many factors that increase the cost of food, so it is difficult to find a direct link between the high cost of eggs and poultry and the virus, but the body is closely monitoring. “Poultry and egg production in Canada is subject to supply management and there are mechanisms that modeling committees can develop to give them the flexibility to adapt to the type of disorder we are talking about right now,” said Donald Boucher, general development manager. of the sector. with Agri-Food Canada. “We know that some of these measures have also been implemented in the context of the current outbreak (avian influenza).” The Canadian Food and Drug Administration believes migratory birds are responsible for the 25 cases in Canada and expects more cases as swarms continue to fly north in the summer. So far, there are no indications of transmission from farm to farm. “I think this is, in more recent memory, one of the most outbreaks of bird flu in many provinces and the first time we have H5N1,” she said. Mary Jane Ireland, Chief Veterinarian. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has set up control zones in areas with active cases in Ontario and Alberta to quarantine infected animals and restrict the movement of goods and animals in and out of the affected areas. It is a stressful experience for farmers and small herd owners, Ireland said, especially because of the impact on their livelihoods. He said the body was preparing to respond to further detections pending further outbreaks. No human cases have been reported in Canada, and avian influenza is not a major public health concern for healthy individuals who do not come into regular contact with infected birds.
