CFIA confirmed the finding on Nov. 8
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Avian flu has hit Manitoba for the first time in 2023.
A commercial poultry farm in the RM of Rhineland had the case on Nov. 8, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) says.
The infected birds will be depopulated, and the farm will be cleaned to minimize any potential spread.
Birds are in the fall migration window, which can increase the risk of disease spread.
“HPAI risk increases during spring and fall wild bird migration season,” Manitoba Agriculture says. “Manitoba Agriculture encourages small flock owners to watch their birds closely for sudden deaths, even when risk is low.”
This is Manitoba’s first case of avian flu since Nov. 17, 2022.
That occurred in a non-commercial poultry operation in the Rural Municipality of Woodlands.
In total, Manitoba has one infected premises and 21 premises previously infected. And avian flu is affecting about 287,000 birds in the province.
With Manitoba’s confirmed case of avian flu, almost all Canadian provinces have experienced at least one avian flu case this year.
The most recent occurred on Nov. 19 in B.C. at a commercial poultry operation in Chilliwack.
Newfoundland and Labrador is the only province not to have a confirmed case of avian flu in 2023.
Its last case came in January 2022 at a non-commercial, non-poultry location in the Town of Conception Bay South, CFIA data says.
In total, Canada has 66 infected premises, with B.C. accounting for 38 of those. 321 premises were previously infected, and more than 9.3 million Canadian birds have been affected by avian flu.