The spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in British Columbia has intensified, with the presence of the virus being confirmed in eight additional commercial poultry flocks.
According to information from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), seven of those flocks were in Abbotsford. The presence of HPAI was confirmed in four flocks on November 8. One flock infection was confirmed on November 9 and another on November 10.
CFIA previously reported that a flock was affected on November 7, but the agency has since reported another case confirmed on that date.
The other new instance of HPAI was confirmed in a commercial poultry flock in Chilliwack on November 9.
In addition to the commercial poultry flocks, the presence of HPAI was confirmed on November 8 in a non-commercial poultry flock in Lamont County, Alberta. However, according to World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) standards, instances of HPAI in non-commercial flocks should not have an impact on international poultry trade.
British Columbia has had more commercial poultry flocks affected by HPAI than any other Canadian province. The latest eight flock infections bring the 2024 provincial total to 22. Of those, 16 have been in Abbotsford and six have been in Chilliwack.
The only other provinces to have confirmed cases of HPAI in commercial poultry 2024 are Quebec, Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan. Two flocks were affected in Quebec, while the other three provinces have only had one flock affected. Of those, the flock in Saskatchewan is the only one to have been affected in recent months and to still have an active primary control zone in place.
View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.
To learn more about HPAI cases in commercial poultry flocks in the United States, Mexico and Canada, see an interactive map on WATTPoultry.com.
