Bird flu outbreak feared in Abbotsford

Bird flu outbreak feared in Abbotsford
AMY O'BRIAN, Vancouver Sun
Published: Friday, January 23, 2009
METRO VANCOUVER - Poultry farms within a three-kilometre radius of a large turkey farm in Abbotsford are under quarantine as the Canadian Food Inspection Agency investigates a possible outbreak of avian flu.
Farmers at more than 20 commercial farms in the area are awaiting test results, which are expected later today, to confirm or deny the re-appearance of avian flu in the Fraser Valley.
No one from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency was available for comment this morning, but Ray Nickel, of the B.C. Poultry Association, said test results are expected back from a lab in Winnipeg later today.

Nickel said the quarantine was put in place late Wednesday, and prevents farms from moving any product until it's tested and cleared.
He said the turkey farm at the centre of the quarantine has about 50,000 birds and is larger than most.
It has been identified as E & H Farms on Lefeuvre Road.
Dr. Perry Kendall, provincial health officer, said even if the test does come back positive it is very unlikely the flu strain will be of the Asian variety, which has been responsible for more than 250 human deaths over the past five years.
"I would bet strongly against it being the Asian strain," Kendall said. "We've never had that strain in North America."
Kendall said there was minimal avian flu activity last season, but it has re-surfaced this season in China, Indonesia, Egypt, Vietnam and Cambodia.
After the 2004 avian flu outbreak in B.C., Kendall said it was luck that prevented the flu from spreading to pigs and humans.
But he said Friday that the public health protocols and procedures have been improved since then. If test results come back positive, Kendall said the birds at the farm will likely be culled.
He said two barns of birds are possibly affected.
Kendall said only one worker at the farm will have to undergo anti-viral treatment if the test comes back positive.
There is no risk to the general population, he said.
Nickel said the CFIA and the poultry farms in the valley have been working well together, following proper procedures and protocol.
He said there is no risk to humans and that the poultry and eggs on store shelves at this time is safe to eat. Liz Bicknell, spokeswoman with the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, said the farm in question has been diligent about biosecurity.
"This particular farm we're dealing with right now, their biosecurity measures are impeccable - they are very, very high," Bicknell said.
An outbreak in 2004 resulted in the cull of about 17 million birds in the region.
It was the largest animal cull in Canadian history.