European Union, 30 countries restricting Canadian poultry, egg imports amid avian flu spread, group says

The European Union and 30 international locations have restricted Canadian poultry and egg imports, in keeping with an business foyer group, as this yr’s lethal avian flu infects flocks in nearly each province.

The Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council mentioned in an e-mail that the commerce restrictions range in scope, with some international locations banning all imports from Canada and others limiting restrictions to affected provinces. The EU and america have enacted measures that apply solely to merchandise from inside 10 kilometre zones round every contaminated farm, in keeping with CPEPC president Jean-Michel Laurin.

About 1.37 million birds in Canada have died of the pathogen or been culled for the reason that H5N1 pressure appeared on this nation in December, in keeping with the newest figures from the Canadian Meals Inspection Company. Specialists stress that the meals provide is protected and that the home provide chain will not be but below strain. The H5N1 virus hardly ever infects people, and when it does the signs are often restricted to conjunctivitis or delicate respiratory illness.

The CFIA says on its web site that it has recognized 71 websites within the nation the place H5N1 has been detected. Instances have been reported in each province aside from Prince Edward Island. The outbreak can be affecting poultry in america, Europe and Asia.

Avian flu spreads simply by way of chicken feces and respiratory secretions. Migratory birds can carry the virus. The Canadian poultry business instituted biosecurity measures to restrict unfold between farms after greater than 16 million birds had been culled in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley throughout a earlier outbreak in 2004.

Thus far, the injury this yr has been far much less extreme. In Canada’s egg sector, roughly 0.17 per cent of economic laying hens and 0.17 per cent of economic egg farms have been affected by the flu, in keeping with CPEPC. Within the U.S, about 8.7 per cent of economic laying hens have been affected, the group mentioned.

“We don’t actually know what lies forward,” Mr. Laurin added.

Some international locations have banned all Canadian poultry merchandise – reside, recent, frozen and cooked – whereas others have targeted on particular birds or merchandise, he famous.

Lisa Bishop-Spencer, a spokesperson for Rooster Farmers of Canada, mentioned solely 5 to 11 per cent of home manufacturing is generally earmarked for export.

Investigators recognized the primary Canadian instances of avian flu in 1966, in Ontario, she mentioned. After that preliminary outbreak, the virus wasn’t seen on this nation once more till 2004, in B.C.

Since that devastating wave, farmers have grow to be higher in a position to put together for the virus. Biosecurity measures, akin to hosing down tires and wheel wells on autos at farm gates, have helped include unfold between operations, Ms. Bishop-Spencer mentioned. Farmers additionally take measures inside their very own properties, akin to assigning particular boots to sure areas.

That is the primary yr avian flu has hit a number of provinces on the identical time, Ms. Bishop-Spencer mentioned. She added that the viral load in migratory birds may be very robust this yr.

“What we’re not seeing this yr is … a whole lot of unfold from farm to farm,” she mentioned. “All of it appears to be coming in from wild birds.”

Whereas the business as a complete seems to be weathering the outbreak, the virus has crushed particular person producers with contaminated flocks. In Alberta, 23 places had been contaminated as of Could 3, with producers dropping about 600,000 birds as of April 28. Alberta has extra contaminated websites than every other province, and essentially the most lifeless birds, in keeping with CFIA information.

In April, B.C. ordered industrial poultry farmers with greater than 100 birds to maneuver their flocks indoors till the spring migration ends in Could. The province had misplaced 50,000 birds at two contaminated places as of April 28. It now counts 5 an infection websites.

The CFIA recommends homeowners of small flocks and pet birds confine them till the migration interval ends, with a view to forestall contact with wild birds and decrease the danger of illness transmission.

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