Avian influenza has been rampant, causing a ton of wildlife casualties. Just last week, we seen 300 ostriches get killed due to them getting this disease.
Now we are seeing this disease become local with an outbreak happening in the municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc. This outbreak hit 32,000 chickens.
This outbreak is among two currently active ones in Ontario.
Nationwide, we are seeing 65 outbreaks active. Canada as a whole has seen 540 outbreak since March of 2022.
The London area has previously seen some outbreaks of the avian flu with its most recent one happening on Feb. 28. Before it was lifted on May 8.
CWHC Veterinarian at University of Guelph Brian Stevens says this virus is extremely similar to the regular flu that we get a humans but “This strain in particular has been causing severe disease and death in many wild species.”
Thankfully, the risk to humans is very low with no documented human to human transmission.
A big concern however, is that this could continue to mutate or even combine with the human flu which could cause a pandemic.
The one issue we have is that there’s no way to actually vaccinate wildlife for a disease like this so we may have to just let the virus run its course and hope it ends there.
Image of the current avian outbreaks surrounding London (via inspection.canada.ca)
There is also a potential for some wildlife to become extinct with this illness.
“There was a recent report of a whooping crane that died due to the virus and that is a population that is at risk.” says Stevens.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said the Government is working with the industry to help protect animal, as well as public health.
With there being no current cure, we just have to hope that no more outbreaks happen.
