B.C.’s second domestic case of avian influenza in less than a month has been confirmed in the Okanagan.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has verified that a small backyard poultry flock in Kelowna has tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus.
The infected premises has been placed under quarantine, however, the area of quarantine in the Kelowna region has not been publicly specified.
The ministry has notified producers within a 12-kilometre radius in both the North and Central Okanagan of the positive test result.
Meanwhile, the CFIA has also confirmed the province’s second recorded recent case in a wild bird, announcing on April 25, that a recent sample from a bald eagle found in Delta tested positive for the same disease.
“This is the second bald eagle sample that has tested positive, with another positive case found in Vancouver in February. These samples were collected through B.C.’s wild bird surveillance program for avian influenza, which gathers samples from sick and dead birds as well as sediment samples from wetlands the birds gather on,” stated the CFIA.
The CFIA confirmed, on April 11, its first case of domestic avian influenza in an Enderby-area farm. An area of quarantine was put into place, including an infected zone of north Enderby, Grindrod and Springbend Road area.
According to B.C.’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food, the CFIA and B.C. poultry producers enhanced prevention and preparedness, measures are in place to protect poultry flocks.
READ MORE: Avian flu near Enderby creates large control zone
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