Farmers on alert as avian flu found on 4th southern Ontario farm
CBC
Ontario farmers are stepping up biosecurity measures as a fourth southern Ontario farm has been placed under quarantine after avian flu was detected in poultry flock.
The "highly pathogenic" H5N1 strain of avian flu is spreading around the world among wild birds, and has already been reported at commercial farms in Atlantic Canada and throughout the United States.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed avian flu cases at three Ontario farms: in Woolwich Township, part of Waterloo Region; Zorra Township near London; and in Guelph/Eramosa near Guelph. The most recently reported case involves a poultry flock in the Township of Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation.
The CFIA has placed all the farms under strict quarantine, establishing movement controls and recommending higher biosecurity at nearby farms.
Last week, the agency also confirmed avian flu in a wild red-tailed hawk in the Waterloo, Ont., area.
The provincial Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs says avian influenza is not a significant public health concern for healthy people who aren't in regular contact with infected birds, and is not a threat to food safety when there's proper handling and cooking.
The detection of avian flu has Ontario farmers like Ingrid DeVisser concerned for their flocks and livelihoods.
"We are being extremely vigilant and watchful," DeVisser, who owns a family turkey farm in Bruce County, told CBC News. "We normally use excellent bio-security and we have stepped it up a notch, if that's possible."
DeVisser said the farm is already doing much of its business remotely and is now limiting visitors to essential services.
She's also limiting the number of people working in the barn and has adopted stringent safety protocols, including sanitization, wearing personal protective equipment and changing work clothing regularly.
"As farmers, our main priority is to keep our birds safe and healthy," DeVisser said. "That's what we're working on and that's what we're being very careful about."
Shayan Sharif, a professor and associate dean of research and graduate studies at the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph, said it's important to limit the spread of avian flu as much as possible.
"What's required is significant amounts of detective work" by the CFIA, Sharif said.
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