Manitoba confirms presence of H5N1

Samples from snow geese and a bald eagle tested positive for the virus

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Manitoba Natural Resources and Northern Development has confirmed two earlier suspected cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza.

The provincial government issued a bulletin on April 14 indicating it collected wild bird samples.

Those samples, from snow geese near Waskada and a bald eagle near Dauphin, each tested positive for H5N1, an April 20 document says.

Those are the only positive samples in the province as of now.

No positive tests have been found in poultry flocks. But that could change.

“This is an evolving situation,” Maria Arlt, acting director of the Wildlife and Fisheries branch of Manitoba Agriculture, told reporters Wednesday,” CBC reported. “Manitoba is constantly monitoring the latest guidance and advice from our partners and we will be adjusting accordingly.”

Manitobans are asked to contact the TIP Line at 1-800-782-0076 if they spot any of the following:

• clusters of six or more dead wild waterfowl (e.g., ducks, geese) or other water birds;
• any number of dead raptors or avian scavengers (e.g., ravens, crows, gulls); or
• large groups of dead birds, such as more than 20 of any species.

With the positive samples in Manitoba, almost every Canadian province has had at least one case of H5N1 in 2022 and dating back to late 2021.