B.C. holding avian flu info sessions as virus spreads

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food is hosting a series of information sessions this week as it tries to prevent avian flu outbreaks in more poultry flocks around B.C.

On Tuesday, the ministry is in Chilliwack at the Yarrow Community Centre. Experts are teaching people how to keep their birds safe and how to contain them in the event of an outbreak.

This year, avian flu was first identified in the province in May when a commercial poultry farm in Abbotsford reported a positive result of the H5N1 virus.

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In September, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said the number of birds infected with the disease was growing across the country.

The virus is devastating farms across North America this year. The United States is experiencing massive deaths of turkeys in particular, with over six million — about three per cent of the nation’s turkey population — dying of the virus.

Dr. Louis Kwantes, president of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, explained that while the virus is deadly for birds, mammals are a different story.

“I want to emphasize that this is not a disease of non-avian species,” said Kwantes. “This is not something that we need to panic about. This is not an impending disaster.

“Unless you are a bird, you shouldn’t worry about it.”

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, there are rare occasions the virus can transmit to mammals. Earlier in the summer, about 100 seals were found dead in Quebec, related to the contagious flu.

The CFIA has defined avian flu as a “contagious viral infection that can affect several species of food-producing birds as well as pet birds and wild birds.”