Avian influenza hits processor-heavy area of Manitoba, while Ontario halts poultry co-mingling

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The highly-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak in domestic poultry escalated late last week, as Ontario’s chief vet announced the suspension of any activities where domestic birds would co-mingle and a prime poultry processing area of Manitoba was placed in a quarantine zone.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) updates infected premises and birds impacted each Wednesday. At last report — September 21st —70 locations across Canada had reported cases impacting an estimated 2.7 million domestic poultry in total.

On September 23rd, the Office of the Chief Veterinarian for Ontario (OCVO) issued a Minister’s Order under the Animal Health Act, 2009, for the purpose of limiting the commingling of birds from different locations in Ontario to reduce the likelihood of disease transmission in domestic birds by limiting direct contact.

The order temporarily prohibits events where birds commingle, such as bird shows, bird sales and swaps, portions of fairs where birds are exhibited, sport, and educational displays where birds are brought from multiple locations, vaccination gatherings for birds from multiple locations, and prohibits the movement of birds to those events.

Set to expire on October 22, 2022, the chief vet may extend the order, if required.

In Manitoba, a positive AI case in the Municipality of Ste. Anne sparked the set up of a primary control zone that includes Blumenort, an area with a major poultry processing plant and hatchery, as well as primary producers.

There are currently four active control zones in Manitoba, with one pending.

A primary control zone is an area where the CFIA has deemed that HPAI exists and where, once declared, certain movements are controlled by the use of permits.

Alberta continues to be the hardest hit province, with 13 primary control zones in place and one pending, and over 1.2 million birds impacted.

For more of our coverage on HPAI, click here.

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