60,000 birds culled, 24 farms quarantined in Canada. ( 09/01/30 ) | |||||
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Part | Charger | doctorysu | date | 09/01/30 | |
A quarantine zone in west Abbotsford remained in effect Monday, after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
confirmed the presence of avian influenza on a local farm.
The findings, released on Saturday, resulted in an order to slaughter all 60,000 turkeys at E&H Farms on Lefeuvre Road. That process began Monday afternoon.
As of yesterday, the CFIA said tests so far indicate a low pathogenic outbreak of the disease. “Low path” viruses
typically only lead to a drop in egg production, whereas high path outbreaks kill birds.
It was a high path virus in 2004 that resulted in the slaughter of 17 million poultry in the Fraser Valley.
While the presence of avian flu was confirmed on Saturday, the CFIA said further testing is required to determine the
precise subtype and strain of the virus.
A total of 24 farms are now under quarantine, Dr. Sandra Stephens, of the CFIA, said yesterday.
As well as the 23 farms within the three kilometres of E&H Farms, Stephens said one more farm outside that area has
been added as a precaution.
“All birds on the infected premises will be humanely euthanized and disposed of, in accordance with provincial
environmental regulations and internationally accepted disease control guidelines,”
the CFIA said in an official statement.
“Once all birds have been removed, the CFIA will oversee the cleaning and disinfection of the barns, vehicles,
equipment and tools to eliminate any infectious material that may remain.”
Stephens said CO2 gas will be used to euthanize the turkeys. They will then be composted inside the barn and remain
there for seven to 10 days. After that, the composting process will be completed outside.
The CFIA will provide compensation at market price for the owner or owners of the birds, and will provide the costs for
their disposal.
CFIA spokeswoman Monika Mazur said yesterday afternoon that tests are ongoing to determine the strain of the
disease discovered in Abbotsford, and also whether it has spread.
If the situation does not change, Mazur said the quarantine period on surrounding farms will likely last for 21 days.
On Friday, 23 Abbotsford farms were put under quarantine as the CFIA investigated the possible outbreak.
At that time, Mazur stressed that it is only in “very rare” circumstances that people are affected by avian flu.
Those humans at risk are people who have been “in very close contact” with the birds, she said.
Following the death of B.C. Agriculture Minister Stan Hagen last week, Abbotsford-Clayburn MLA John van Dongen
was appointed the interim minister for agriculture.
Speaking yesterday, van Dongen said he has so far been involved as part of a “collaborative effort” between provincial
and federal agencies, and the farm industry.
Van Dongen was quick to point out that everyone “learned a lot” from the avian flu outbreak in 2004, and said that
knowledge is now valuable in dealing with the latest situation.
“When the incident happened in 2004, it was something completely new to all of us . . . but since then there have been a lot of procedures that have been put in place,” he said.
“We had to invent a process in 2004, but we have a well-established process in 2009.”
While van Dongen said the chance of the virus spreading can depend on a variety of factors, he pointed out the 2009 outbreak was identified quickly and swift plans were made to dispose of the infected birds.
Van Dongen also commended local farmers for working with the CFIA after 2004 to introduce
“strict biosecurity measures.”
“There has been an incredible effort to ensure the industry has an effective biosecurity system in place,” he said.
Van Dongen now encourages farmers to work with those regulations “to get the industry back to normal as quickly as
possible.”
Initial tests for avian flu were carried out at Abbotsford’s new Containment Level 3 lab. Those results were then sent to
the CFIA’s headquarters in Winnipeg.
By being able to conduct the initial tests in the Abbotsford lab, which opened in December 2008, van Dongen said the
disease was detected “very quickly.”
Abbotsford Mayor George Peary said the city is “monitoring” the avian flu situation in Abbotsford.
“We are glad that the Canada Food Insepection Agency is taking these precautions and quarantining farms, because
we know first-hand how important early detection is in reducing the spread of the disease,” he said.
“The devastating avian flu outbreak in 2004 seriously impacted many of our local poultry farmers,
feed mills and hatcheries.”
In order to limit any potential virus spread, the CFIA is applying restrictions on the movement of poultry, and poultry
products, within three kilometres of the infected farm.
The CFIA is relying on all backyard poultry owners to monitor their flocks and immediately report sick or dead birds.
The agency is also currently investigating any recent movement of birds, bird products and equipment onto and off the
infected property.
It has notified the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and international trading partners of the findings in
Abbotsford.
2009. 1. 27
Excerpted from 'ABBOTSFORD NEWS'
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