Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been detected in a poultry flock in British Columbia.
The case, according to information on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) website, was confirmed in the Regional District of North Okanagan on April 13. Specific information concerning the type of poultry in the flock or how many birds were involved has not yet been released.
The infected premises has been placed under quarantine. CFIA has begun an investigation and will be establishing movement control measures on other farms within that area.
While this is the first case of HPAI in poultry in British Columbia in 2022, there was an earlier case of the virus in a wild bird reported by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) in early March. That case involved a bald eagle, which was found dead in the municipality of Vancouver. That particular case marked the first confirmation of HPAI in the Pacific Flyway.
Additional case confirmed in Quebec
A new case of HPAI was confirmed in a Quebec poultry flock. CFIA reported the latest case in that province was found in a flock in Brome-Missiquoi and confirmed on April 14.
This case follows two earlier confirmations. On April 12, a H5N1 variant of HPAI was confirmed in Val-Saint-François, and the following day it was confirmed in a non-commercial poultry flock in Haut-Saint-François.
Before that, HPAI had only been found in wild geese in Quebec.
Up to this point, every province in Canada has had at least one confirmed case of HPAI in 2022 except Manitoba.
Other provinces to earlier report confirmed cases in commercial poultry included Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia. It was also confirmed at an exhibition farm in Newfoundland and Labrador. All other provinces have only had cases in wild birds.
To learn more about HPAI cases in North American commercial poultry flocks, see an interactive map on WATTPoultry.com.
Read our ongoing coverage of the global avian influenza outbreak.
