Canada, as of November 16, has reported 122 cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in commercial poultry flocks.
These cases have appeared in seven of the country’s provinces. While the virus has appeared in all of Canada’s provinces, no commercial flocks have been affected by HPAI in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick or Prince Edward Island.
Utilizing information provided by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) this article offers a look at where the provinces rank when it comes to the number of commercial flocks affected by the virus.
1. Alberta
Alberta easily ranks as the province that has had the most commercial poultry flocks affected at 38. The province’s first case was confirmed on April 6, while the most recent case was confirmed on November 15 in Forty Mile County. The total number of birds lost to HPAI in Alberta has been estimated at 1.3 million. However, that number does not include the number of birds in the province's most recent case. The affected flocks included turkeys, broilers, laying hens, upland gamebirds and chicken breeders. There were also some flocks that were only identified as “poultry,” with each affected province but Nova Scotia having at least one infected flock identified in such a way.
2. Ontario
With 24 confirmed cases Ontario ranks second in terms of flocks lost in Canada. The first case was confirmed on March 27, while the most recent case was confirmed on October 18. At least 612,124 birds have been lost there, but that number does not include a confirmed case in West Lincoln Township, as numbers associated with that flock have not yet been made public. The province’s bird losses include turkeys, ducks and laying hen breeders.
3. Manitoba
Manitoba comes in third with 17 flocks infected. Those flocks included broilers, turkeys and turkey breeders. All of those cases were confirmed between April 23 and October 26.
4. Quebec and Saskatchewan
The most recent HPAI case in Saskatchewan was confirmed on November 14 in Humboldt, bringing the province’s total case count to 16 – the same number of flocks that have been lost in Quebec. Affected flocks have involved turkeys, layers, layer breeders and broiler breeders. The virus first appeared in Saskatchewan poultry on April 15.
Also with 16 flocks affected, Quebec has lost turkeys, turkey breeders, ducks and layers. The province’s first case was confirmed on April 12, while the most recent was confirmed on November 5. When comparing bird losses among the two provinces with 16 affected flocks, those numbers are inconclusive because information concerning one flock for each in each of those provinces have not been disclosed.
6. British Columbia
British Columbia’s count of HPAI cases in 2022 presently stands at nine, with broilers, laying hens and turkeys affected. The province’s cases were all confirmed between April 13 and October 20, until two new cases were confirmed on November 16. Both of those new cases were found in the city of Abbotsford.
7. Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia was the first province to have had an HPAI infection in a commercial flock, with that case being confirmed on February 3. However, the province’s second and only other case was confirmed on February 11. Both of those cases involved turkeys.
See similar articles that rank the 25 U.S. states in terms of flocks lost to HPAI and birds lost to HPAI.
To learn more about HPAI cases in commercial poultry flocks in the United States and Canada, see an interactive map on WATTPoultry.com.
Read our ongoing coverage of the global avian influenza outbreak.
