Quebec duck farm says it has detected a case of highly pathogenic bird flu

A duck farm in Quebec says it has discovered a case of bird flu in one of its kennels.

Brome Lake Ducks said in a press release that the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza was confirmed on Tuesday at a farm in St-Claude, about 160 kilometers east of Montreal.

The company says it has quarantined the farm and other facilities in Knowlton, Quebec, and is working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to implement biosecurity measures.

The first cases of bird flu in Quebec were detected in three wild geese earlier this month, and several other provinces have already reported outbreaks of wild and domestic populations.

While most forms of bird flu are mild, H5N1 can cause serious illness and death in birds.

No human cases have been reported in Canada, and the CFIA says bird flu is not a significant public health concern for healthy people who are not in regular contact with infected birds.

– This report from The Canadian Press was first published on April 13, 2022.