MONTREAL – The number of bird flu cases in Quebec is growing, with four poultry farms now affected by the virus.
MONTREAL – The number of bird flu cases in Quebec is growing, with four poultry farms now affected by the virus.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed on Sunday that the latest case of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza was found in a flock in Les Source, Quebec, about 190 kilometers east of Montreal.
The four farm outbreaks are concentrated in the Estrie region, east of Montreal, including a duck trading farm, which announced its first case last week.
The federal agency says the facilities have been quarantined and recommends that other farms in the area increase biosecurity measures.
The first cases of bird flu in Quebec were detected in wild geese earlier this month, and several other provinces reported outbreaks of wild and domestic populations.
H5N1 is common in wild waterfowl, but can cause serious illness and death in domestic populations.
Although it can be transmitted to humans in rare cases, the inspection agency 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 18, 2022.
The Canadian press
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