Ontario avian influenza case count climbs to six; permits required for some bird movement

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency lists six confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Ontario, as of April 5th. Two of the six cases are in backyard poultry flocks.

Currently, there are two control zones set up. Movement of poultry or poultry products in or out of a control zone requires a special permit, and some poultry types or movements may not be permitted. Full details on permits can be found here.

The confirmed cases are:

  • April 4, 2022 – Township of Centre Wellington, Ontario (poultry flock)
  • April 2, 2022 – Township of Selwyn, Ontario (backyard flock)
  • March 31, 2022 – Township of Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation (backyard flock)
  • March 30, 2022 – Township of Woolwich (poultry flock)
  • March 28, 2022 – Township of Zorra (poultry flock)
  • March 27, 2022 – Township of Guelph/Eramosa (poultry flock)

Each infected premise has been placed under quarantine. CFIA has established movement control measures and is recommending enhanced biosecurity for other farms within that area.

The first findings of the H5N1 strain in Quebec were also confirmed in three wild birds on Monday — in a Canada goose in Granby, and in two snow geese, one in Saint-Jean-sur-le-Richelieu and the other in Saint-Isidore-de-Laprairie in Montérégie.

There have also been poultry cases in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, however the CFIA website’s last update of new cases is listed as March 17, 2022.

Meanwhile, there has been at least one infected flock found in 24 U.S. states, spanning across the Central, Mississippi,  and Atlantic flyways. South Dakota has had the highest number of commercial flock cases, at 25, as of April 5.

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