Outbreak of avian influenza confirmed in Canada

By Park Sae-jin Posted : April 16, 2015, 17:02 Updated : April 16, 2015, 17:02
Preliminary testing has confirmed the presence of H5 avian influenza on a turkey farm near Woodstock area in Ontario province of Canada, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Tuesday.

The agency has placed the farm and a neighboring farm under quarantine to control disease spread and the industry sector has been notified to adopt enhanced bio-security practices.

Further testing by the CFIA is underway to confirm pathogenicity and determine the precise subtype and strain of the virus. Pathogenicity refers to the severity of the illness caused in birds. Results are expected within days.

Initial tests for the disease were conducted on April 5 at the Animal Health Laboratory at the University of Guelph, after the turkey farm experienced sudden deaths of birds over several days.

By Ruchi Singh
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