August 19, 2004

The CFIA has lifted all movement restrictions on poultry in the Fraser Valley and has officially ended its control operation.
Surveillance indicates that avian influenza has been eradicated from the area.
Approximately 17 million chickens, turkeys and ducks were destroyed in the eradication operation.
Poultry producers can begin to restock, but it may take up to a year to return to normal levels of production.
It's estimated the B.C. poultry industry lost at least 400 million dollars as a result of the avian influenza outbreak.

July 9, 2004

As of July 9, 2004, all premises in the High-Risk region are permitted to begin restocking their farms. It has been 21 days since the last premises has been cleaned and disinfected.
Birds brought onto previously disinfected premises must be tested for avian influenza and then re-tested weekly for four weeks, if it has been less than 60 days since the premises has been cleaned and disinfected.
The following movement permits will now apply:
- Live birds may be moved into and within the Control Area. Only pet birds and pigeons may be moved out of the Control Area.
- Hatching eggs may be moved into and within the Control Area. Movement out of the Control Area is prohibited.
- Federally-graded table eggs may be moved into and within the Control Area. Movement to retailers in BC is permitted. Movement outside of BC is prohibited.
- Poultry products, such as meat, may be moved within the Control Area. Movement out of the Control Area is permitted under certain restrictions.
The World Animal Health Organization, the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) recommends that countries that practice “stamping out” of avian influenza can be considered disease-free six months after the slaughter of the last infected flock.

June 21, 2004

All premises in the High-Risk area have been cleaned and disinfected to reduce the threat of potential re-infection by the avian influenza virus from dust, manure, feed and bedding.
If no new cases of avian influenza are detected on these premises, poultry owners can begin to restock their farms on July 10, 2004. The Office International des Epizooties (OIE), the World Organization for Animal Health, requires farms to wait 21-days between cleaning and disinfection and restocking. Premises not in the High-Risk zone are not required to wait 21-days to restock and can do so under certain conditions.
Birds placed on farms in the High-Risk area within 60 days of cleaning and disinfection, will be tested for avian influenza once a week for four weeks.
Farms restocked 60 days or more, after cleaning and disinfection, will not require testing of birds.

June 7, 2004

The depopulation process is now complete.
The response effort is now shifting to the recovery phase, which involves decontamination and surveillance.
Movement controls will remain in effect until surveillance activities have provided more information on the status of avian influenza in the Fraser Valley, B.C.

May 27, 2004

Avian influenza has now been detected on 42 commercial premises and 11 backyard flocks.
All birds from infected flocks have been depopulated and the CFIA is finishing up depopulating the high-risk areas (those areas within a 3-km radius of infected flocks).

May 18, 2004

CFIA officials have detected avian influenza on another premises, bringing the total to 41 commercial flocks affected.
Fortunately the infected flock was depopulated on May 5, as part of the pre-emptive slaughter initiative.

May 14, 2004

Testing has indicated that the geese and ducks on a Fraser Valley farm are likely infected with an H6 strain of the avian influenza virus, which is not associated with serious animal or human illness.
The farm is located in the control zone and had already been targeted for depopulation as part of CFIA’s avian influenza response plan.

May 12, 2004

To date, more than 500 flocks have tested negative for avian influenza.
A total of 296 backyard poultry flocks have been depopulated.
A new strain of avian influenza has been identified in a farm containing 600 ducks and 37,000 geese in the Fraser Valley, B.C.
Laboratory testing is underway to determine what strain it is and results will be available in 48 hours.

May 6, 2004

A total of 40 commercial flocks and 10 backyard flocks have been infected in the Fraser Valley, B.C. An additional 200 flocks have tested negative for the virus.
Scientists have decoded the virus strain (H7N3) and have discovered that it is a rare and highly virulent strain. Normally, the H7N3 strain is not highly pathogenic, but a small genetic difference has made this particular strain highly contagious.
The CFIA believes that the movement of people and equipment is contributing to the spread of the disease. Farmers are reminded that they are legally required to control access to their birds and that Avian Influenza Control Signs (white CFIA signs) are to be posted at the entrance of any premises containing poultry. More information is available on the CFIA website: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toce.shtml

April 28, 2004

Continuous surveillance of the control area in the Fraser Valley has resulted in the confirmation of 39 infected commercial flocks. Depopulation is ongoing.
Avian influenza has been detected in ten backyard flocks, which have all been depopulated.
The CFIA will be holding another PUBLIC INFORMATION EVENT for poultry producers on April 28, 2004. More information can be found at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/heasan/disemala/avflu/avflue.shtml#alder

April 20, 2004

The CFIA has confirmed avian influenza in 31 commercial flocks, as well as 10 backyard flocks in B.C.
Depopulation is continuing on a priority basis for all positive premises.
The CFIA will be holding a second PUBLIC INFORMATION EVENT for poultry producers on April 24, 2004. More information can be found at: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/heasan/disemala/avflu/avflue.shtml#alder

April 13, 2004

The CFIA is holding a PUBLIC INFORMATION EVENT for poultry producers on April 15, 2004. Information about the meeting can be found on the CFIA website: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/heasan/disemala/avflu/avflue.shtml
A total of 22 commercial farms and 6 backyard flocks have now been infected with avian influenza virus (H7).

April 5, 2004

The CFIA has announced a pre-emptive cull of 19 million birds in the avian influenza control area, encompassing the Fraser Valley, in B.C.
All commercial and backyard flocks in the control area will be slaughtered to limit further spread of the disease. Poultry from non-infected flocks processed in fully inspected federally registered plants can be made available for sale.
The measure was announced after 10 new flocks were confirmed positive for the virus over the weekend. In total, 18 farms have been affected, to date. Twelve flocks are in the high-risk area, four in the surveillance zone and two in the control area.
It is believed that the new cases are due to contamination from people and their equipment.
Poultry producers in B.C. are now legally required to control access to their premises by affixing appropriate signage prohibiting unauthorized entry onto their farm.

April 2, 2004

Testing has confirmed that a commercial poultry farm outside of the high-risk region, but in the control area, has avian influenza. An eighth farm, also in the control area, is under suspicion, and has been quarantined.
A total of seven commercial poultry farms, six in the high-risk area, and one in the control zone, are confirmed to have avian influenza. On-going testing will determine if the strains are low or high pathogenic.
Two contract workers, both who have been in close contact with infected birds, have recovered from mild illnesses confirmed to have been caused by avian influenza virus (H7).

March 29, 2004

A sixth farm in the high-risk region has been confirmed to have AI and the flock has been depopulated.
The CFIA has quarantined a poultry farm outside of the high-risk region, but in the control area in the Fraser Valley, after preliminary testing indicated the possible presence of avian influenza virus. Additional testing is being conducted.

March 24, 2004

The CFIA has decided to depopulate all poultry farms in the high-risk region of British Columbia’s Fraser Valley as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza, which has been detected in five farms in that region to date.
Approximately 275,000 birds will be destroyed from 10 farms and 33 smaller flocks. Owners will be entitled to compensation under the federal Health of Animals Act.

March 23, 2004

The CFIA has targeted two additional farms in the Fraser Valley Surveillance Zone for depopulation, as a high number of bird mortality has been observed.
Avian influenza has been confirmed on one of the farms. Test results on the other farm are pending.
In total, five farms, all within the high-risk region, have been targeted for depopulation, affecting approximately 90,000 birds since the outbreaks began.

March 22, 2004

A third poultry farm in the Fraser Valley has been confirmed to have avian influenza.
Approximately 8,500 chickens will be destroyed, bringing the total to 60,000, to date.
The virus on the third farm has been identified as H7, although the specific strain is not yet known.

March 15, 2004

The CFIA has confirmed a second case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a Fraser Valley farm containing four flocks of diversified poultry.
Testing has shown the strain to be H7N3, the same identified in the previous outbreak.
Officials have established a 5-km High Risk area around the farm. Outside that is a 10-km Surveillance Zone and surrounding both, encompassing the Fraser Valley, is the Control Area, where strict movement controls are being enforced.
All birds on the farm are to be depopulated.
There has been no human illness linked to this outbreak.

March 10, 2004

The final results of CFIA’s ongoing testing to further identify the strain of avian influenza on the BC farm are available. Testing indicates that a highly pathogenic strain of the virus was present in the younger of the two affected flocks on the premises. The low pathogenic strain (H7N3) was found in the older flock.
The presence of both forms of the virus on the same premises is not unheard of but is rare. This ongoing testing indicated that the virus was in the process of changing from low to high pathogenic in these younger birds.
This newly announced highly pathogenic strain is NOT the same as the one affecting birds in Southeast Asia.
The flock was quarantined and depopulated very quickly, limiting the risk of the virus spreading.
The CFIA continues to conduct surveillance on farms in the area and has quarantined a second farm where a low level of illness exists. Testing is currently underway.

March 01, 2004

Approximately 16,000 birds have been depopulated and disposed of.
The CFIA continues to survey poultry farms identified as having had contact with the quarantined premises.
Japan, Singapore, China, Malaysia, Peru, Brazil and South Korea have suspended the import of various poultry commodities from Canada, including live birds and poultry products.
Romania, Mexico, Russia, Barbados, Philippines, Poland and Hong Kong have limited their ban to poultry products from British Columbia.

February 24, 2004

The CFIA has received further test results identifying the low pathogenic strain of avian influenza as H7N3. This is not the same strain that affected poultry flocks in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Texas earlier this month.
Testing has also confirmed that there is no link between the avian influenza virus and the five people who were exhibiting flu-like symptoms in B.C.

February 23, 2004

The CFIA has confirmed the strain of avian influenza isolated in British Columbia to be a low pathogenic strain.
It is considered a mild strain, meaning that it not linked to human illness.
The affected farm provides fertilized eggs to other farms for hatching. No food products were sold into the human food chain.
South Korea, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong have placed temporary bans on Canadian poultry. Approximately 7% of Canada’s poultry production (mostly dark meat) is exported.
BC health officials are monitoring five people who have come down with flu-like symptoms near the farm where avian influenza was discovered. It is not clear whether their sickness is related to the outbreak of disease in birds. Health officials believe that in the remote chance that these people are sick because of the H7 virus, it is because they have been in extremely close contact with the infected birds. The chance of transmission to other humans is extremely low, if not nil.

February 19, 2004

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) was notified of an outbreak of avian influenza in two 9,000-bird broiler-breeder flocks in British Columbia.
The virus has been identified as the H7 strain, however, further testing will confirm whether the virus is low or highly pathogenic version.
This is NOT the highly pathogenic avian influenza strain that has recently been reported in Southeast Asia. Health Canada reports that the risk to human health remains low.
The H7 strain of low pathogenic avian influenza has recently been reported in Delaware and New Jersey in the United States.
As a precaution, the farm has been quarantined and the birds will be destroyed.
The CFIA is conducting surveillance of commercial and backyard flocks within a 5-km radius of the infected flock.
The source of the virus is unknown, however, wild migratory waterfowl are natural hosts, who do not get sick.

Avian Influenza in British Columbia (2004)

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This information published to the web on February 19, 2004.
Last Reviewed/Revised on November 21, 2005.