Poultry flock in Comox Valley first on Island to test positive for H5N1 avian influenza virus
A small poultry flock in Comox Valley has tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus, marking the first outbreak detected on Vancouver Island.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has placed the premises under quarantine.
This marks the seventh small or backyard B.C. flock to have contracted the virus since April. The other flocks were located in Kelowna, Richmond, Armstrong, and the central Kootenays.
A large outbreak of avian flu across Canada has affected at least 68 poultry farms according to CFIA and has caused an estimated 1.7 million birds to be euthanized or killed by the virus, with the majority in Alberta and Ontario.
The B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food said in a statement the virus is being contracted through contact with infected migrating wild birds.
