Canada: Avian flu found at poultry farm on Saanich Peninsula

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a non-commercial poultry farm in the Capital Regional District of British Columbia, affecting around 60 chickens. This detection is part of a larger outbreak across Canada, with 56 premises affected in British Columbia and 65 across the country. The outbreak has resulted in the culling of nearly 6.9 million birds in British Columbia due to the lack of effective treatment and the potential for human transmission, although it remains rare. B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham has expressed concerns about slow compensation from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and is writing to the federal counterpart to speed up the process. The outbreak has led to significant emotional and financial strain for farmers, with the majority of infections detected in wild birds rather than poultry flocks. Residents are encouraged to report dead wild birds to the agency to facilitate testing and prevention measures.