WESTERN PRODUCER — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed the presence of high pathogenic avian influenza, subtype H5N1, Feb. 1 in a backyard flock in central Nova Scotia.
According to the CFIA website, the flock does not produce birds for sale and is considered a non-poultry detection.
In January, the same strain of avian flu was detected in wild birds at an exhibition farm on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland and Labrador, but the small flock farm does not produce birds for sale.
The CFIA placed the farm under quarantine and established a 10-kilometre zone with movement control measures and increased biosecurity to limit potential spread of the disease.
Canada continues to maintain a "free from AI" status as per the World Organization for Animal Health guidance.
These additional detections should not impact trade, but the situation highlights that avian flu is spreading globally in wild birds migrating to and from Canada.
Recent detections of high pathogenic avian flu was found in Europe, indicating an even higher risk of the disease in North American poultry flocks this year.
In its statement, the CFIA said anyone with farm animals or raising poultry should be maintaining good biosecurity habits to protect them from animal diseases. Biosecurity is the main tool for preventing the transmission of this disease to North American farm birds.
