Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed on a commercial poultry operation in the Rural Municipality of De Salaberry, Manitoba, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said, with the detection dated 10 September. It is the country's first case since May, when six outbreaks were recorded, three each in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

The agency's map draws the infected zone along Provincial Road 200 and Roads 14N and 15N, Road 9E at Provincial Trunk Highway 23, and the junction of Highway 23 and Road 200. Agriculture is De Salaberry's second-largest industry, according to the Economic Development Council of Bilingual Municipalities of Manitoba.

Six premises across Canada are currently listed as infected, Saskatchewan holding the most with three. A further 650 premises have been infected and released since the outbreak began, and the CFIA estimates more than 17.5 million birds have been affected since December 2021. British Columbia, with 279 previously infected premises, has borne the heaviest toll.

Of the May outbreaks only one, in the Rural Municipality of Usborne in Saskatchewan, was in a non-commercial, non-poultry setting. HPAI is federally reportable, so any suspected case must go to the CFIA, and the virus is not confined to birds: US dairy cattle became infected in 2024.

With autumn migration under way, Chicken Farmers of Canada is urging producers to tighten biosecurity and has published guidance on protecting flocks and what to do if infection is suspected. Diego Flammini reported the story for Farms.com.

Photo: Chicken Farmers of Canada / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Source: Farms.com