The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), in its latest report concerning highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Canada, stated that the situation in the country’s poultry flocks is now “resolved.”
The first case of HPAI in North America was confirmed on December 20, 2021, at an exhibition farm in Newfoundland and Labrador, while the country’s first case involving commercial poultry was confirmed at a turkey farm in Nova Scotia on February 3, 2022. Since that time, the virus has spread to every Canadian province and territory. However, none of the territories had any cases in commercial poultry flocks, nor did the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island or New Brunswick.
“Surveillance is ongoing in the affected areas. HPAI outbreaks in poultry are now considered resolved and all zoning restrictions have been lifted in the following provinces: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. Wildlife surveillance as well as the Canadian Notifiable Avian Influenza Surveillance System (CanNAISS) activities for poultry are ongoing in Canada,” the report stated.
In its latest report, WOAH stated that a commercial pigeon farm in Chilliwack, British Columbia, had been depopulated, decontaminated and was released from its primary control zone (PCZ) on July 14. Before that, the last PCZ to be released occurred at a turkey farm in Rouville, Quebec, with that PCZ being released on July 5.
According to the WOAH, nearly 7.7 million birds in Canada have been affected by HPAI.
Data from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency revealed that during the 2022-23 outbreak, the three provinces with the most cases were British Columbia, Quebec and Alberta, respectively.
