Seven commercial poultry flocks in B.C.’s Fraser Valley have bird flu: ministry
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $14.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/11/2022 (719 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
VICTORIA – Seven commercial poultry farms in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley have been quarantined because they’ve tested positive for a highly infectious avian flu.
A statement from the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture says the farms tested positive between Nov. 16 and Nov. 19.
Six of the farms are in Abbotsford and one is in Chilliwack, in the Fraser Valley, the same area where more than 17 million birds were culled in 2004 when avian flu swept through numerous farms.
The ministry says producers within a 10-kilometre radius have been notified and all infected farms have been placed under quarantine by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
There have been three dozen cases of avian flu in the province since the first confirmation of the virus in April, and B.C.’s chief veterinarian issued an order in September requiring all quota-holding poultry operations to maintain indoor operations.
Experts have said the current strain affecting poultry operations, H5N1, behaves differently than other infections and instead of remaining isolated in one area it has spread across the country.
The ministry says the risk of avian flu to flocks in B.C. increases with spring and fall migration of waterfowl and other birds.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2022.