Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Canada - CANADA - This is follow up report No 5 via OIE on the recent outbreak of Avian Influenza in Canada.

See also: 9 April 2004, 9 April 2004, 2 April 2004, 19 March 2004, 12 March 2004

Follow-up report No. 8 on avian influenza in Canada (see also Emergency report, Follow-up report No. 1, Follow-up report No. 2, Follow-up report No. 3, Follow-up report No. 4, Follow-up report No. 5, Follow-up report No. 6 and Follow-up report No. 7)

Information received on 15 April 2004 from Dr Brian Evans, Executive Director, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Ottawa:

End of previous report period: 6 April 2004 (see Disease Information, 17 [15], 105, dated 9 April 2004).

End of this report period: 14 April 2004.

As of 13 April 2004, a total of 28 commercial flocks have tested positive for avian influenza:

- 13 premises within the 5-km ‘High-Risk Region’, where the index case was diagnosed;

- 5 premises within the 10-km ‘Surveillance Region’ surrounding the ‘High-Risk Region’;

- 10 premises outside the ‘Surveillance Region’, but within the limits of the Control Area that was established to contain the outbreak.

These 28 farms raised a total of 864,833 birds, of which 583,710 have already been eliminated.

Ten backyard flocks were also found to be positive:

- 6 in the ‘High-Risk Region’;

- 4 in the ‘Surveillance Region’.

All these small premises, with a total of 147 birds, have been depopulated.

A total of 19 million birds in the Control Area are scheduled to be commercially slaughtered or destroyed in an effort to eradicate the disease. Those which are to be commercially slaughtered must originate from flocks that have tested negative in the 72 hours preceding movement and be subjected to federal ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection. Products derived from these birds and destined for domestic human consumption may be moved out of the Control Area under permit. Such products are prohibited from entering federally registered processing or storage establishments elsewhere in Canada and will be clearly marked to limit their use to direct retail, hospital, restaurant or institutional use in Canada.

Surveillance, control and eradication measures continue.

Regular updates are available on the CFIA website.

Source: Office International des Epizooties - 16th April 2004