Alberta has more confirmed cases of bird flu than any other province, according to data collected by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
As of Tuesday, the CFIA has listed 23 herds in Alberta where avian influenza has been detected, compared with 21 in Ontario, seven in Saskatchewan and just one in Manitoba.
More birds are affected by avian flu in Alberta than any other province, with the most recent data from the CFIA showing an estimated 600,000 birds.
Data on the estimated number of affected birds is updated every Thursday, and Alberta’s already high estimate will inevitably increase during the next update, as bird flu is detected in at least four more flocks since the last one. It’s gone.
Across Canada, every province – with the exception of PEI – has had at least one domestic flock infestation, which has led to the euthanization of an estimated 1,372,400 birds, affecting 58 agricultural businesses.
A farm east of Didsbury, Alta. Identified by the CFIA as confirmed cases of avian flu.
What happens when you are diagnosed with Avian Flu?
The CFIA typically takes control of the farm, imposes restrictions on who can come and go from the property and places it under quarantine. CFIA employees and contractors then come to “cancel” the birds—suffocating them with either carbon dioxide or in some cases a special water-soluble foam.
Farmers are not responsible for euthanasia of birds, and the CFIA also arranges and pays for burial, composting or burning of carcasses.
But producers are on the hook for the costs associated with washing and disinfecting barns, as well as equipment and equipment that may have been in contact with infected birds.
The loss of individual animals is compensated at market rates.
Cleanup underway near Linden, Alta. After being diagnosed with avian flu. Affected farmers contacted by CTV News declined to speak about their experience, directing inquiries to Alberta chicken producers and Alberta egg farmers. Both the associations say that interview is not possible at this time.
Avian influenza is usually carried by wild migratory birds, especially waterfowl. This year’s infections appear to be more widespread and cause more severe symptoms, including disorientation and head tremors, according to Alberta wildlife pathologist Dr. Margo Pybus.
Wild birds usually show very few signs of infection. The outbreak is expected to subside as migration ends in June.
The CFIA says that avian flu is not a food safety concern, and there is no evidence that it can be transmitted to humans by eating cooked poultry or eggs.
