Highly Pathogenic Bird Flu Confirmed in British Columbia

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Canada, March 15, 2004 (ENS) – Test results have confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H7N3 avian influenza on a farm in southern British Columbia.

This is not the same as the H5N1 strain of bird flu that devastated Asian poultry flocks earlier this year and is now receding in most places. The risk to human health is "low" according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Although Canadian animal health authorities are doing quarantine and cleanup procedures according to international standards, the European Union has suspended the import of live poultry, poultry meat and products, eggs and pet birds from Canada until April 6.

Surveillance activities detected the avian disease on the Fraser Valley farm Thursday, but laboratory analysis was needed to determine the severity of the virus, and that confirmation came on Friday.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is euthanizing birds on the farm. All birds will be disposed of in accordance with provincial regulations, environmental management practices and internationally accepted disease control guidelines, officials assured the public.

Chickens are subject to avian influenza of various strains. (Photo by Stephen Ausmus courtesy USDA)

To minimize the risk of further spread in area poultry, the Canadian government has declared a control area in southern British Columbia, including Greater Vanouver. This measure restricts the movement of domestic birds, bird products and bird by-products, providing a contained environment in which the virus can be isolated.

This is the second case of avian influenza found in British Columbia, the first was found in February. The CFIA initiated a surveillance program, inspecting and testing birds for the disease in the area surrounding the infected farm. Recognizing that additional cases can not be ruled out, this effort is being continued and expanded to a 10 kilometer (seven mile) radius.

CFIA officials say the agency's disease response measures are consistent with international standards for avian influenza and align with proposed changes to current World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) guidelines with regards to the H5 and H7 forms of the virus.

Although it may not be possible to determine the source of the virus, CFIA said, exposure of commercial birds to infected wild birds is considered to be the most likely route of infection.

Poultry owners are urged keeping poultry away from wild birds and areas frequented by wild birds as a safeguard. Maintaining strict biosecurity measures can eliminate any risk of infection.

People exposed to the infected flock are being managed appropriately. This is not the same avian influenza virus that is currently causing serious illness in people in Asia. Although the risk to humans is low, every precaution continues to be taken to protect human health as the CFIA’s response proceeds.

The EU is a major importer of hatching eggs from Canada. In 2003, some 15 million hatching eggs for a value of € 10.5 million have been imported. This represents about one-thrid of the total imports of hatching eggs in the EU. In the same year, approximately 170,000 day old chicks have been imported from Canada. The import of poultry meat and poultry products from Canada is negligible.

The European Commission therefore decided to suspend the imports of live poultry, ratites, farmed and wild feathered game, fresh meat, meat products, hatching eggs and eggs for human consumption of these species and pet birds from Canada.

In Asia, there has been no new outbreak of H5N1 bird flu in most countries, but in Japan a worrisome situation has developed around wild crows that officials fear may become a new conduit for the disease.

Local authorities in western Japan said Saturday that a sixth crow has been found with the deadly avian disease. The crow was found in the town of Tamba, near Kyoto, about 370 kilometers (230 miles) west of Tokyo.

Japanese officials are concerned wild crows could spread the virus, which has killed 22 people in Vietnam and Thailand and killed and forced the culling of 100 million birds throughout Asia, including 300,000 birds in Japan.

In northern Thailand, officials began to fear the resurgence of the flu on the weekend as more than 20,000 chickens died in Chiang Mai's Sansai district and the disease was found in Uttaradit. Tissue samples have been sent to a government lab for testing.