Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) cases continue to appear in western Canada, but the most recent cases have not involved commercial poultry operations.
According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), two new cases have appeared in British Columbia -- one in Sechelt and one in Summerland. Both HPAI cases were confirmed on June 4. Three days earlier, another case was confirmed in a small flock in Peace River.
Two recent cases were also confirmed in Alberta. On June 2, HPAI was confirmed in small flocks in Wainwright and Clear Hills County.
The last time HPAI was confirmed inn a commercial poultry flock in Canada was May 20, when a commercial flock in Abbotsford, British Columbia was affected.
HPAI was first confirmed in Canada in December 2021, when the virus was found at an exhibition farm in the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland and Labrador. Since that time, the virus has reached every Canadian province. However, the only provinces where HPAI has appeared in commercial poultry are Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan have been affected by avian influenza. However, when wild birds and backyard flocks are included, every province has had at least one case of HPAI.
Avian influenza in the United States
While there has been a seasonal slowdown of HPAI cases in commercial poultry flocks in Canada, there has also been a slowdown in the United States. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed one case in a backyard flock in North Dakota on June 6. Prior to that, the last cases were confirmed on June 2, including a backyard flock in Washington and a commercial duck operation in Pennsylvania.
According to standards set forth by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), cases of HPAI in backyard flocks should not affect global poultry trade.
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.
