Two southern Ontario poultry farms are under strict quarantine due to a new strain of bird flu spreading around the world.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed the presence of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian flu among the two poultry flocks on Monday. The agency did not specify where in southern Ontario the affected farms are located, but there are reports one farm is in the Thamesford area and the other is in Waterloo-Wellington.
In addition to placing the two farms under quarantine, the agency is establishing movement control measures and recommending enhanced biosecurity for other farms within that area.
"(Avian flu) is spreading in wild bird populations across the globe and presents a significant national concern as birds migrate to Canada," the agency said. "The CFIA continues to remind anyone with poultry or other susceptible birds to practice good biosecurity habits to protect them from infectious animal diseases."
In recent months, other outbreaks of this strain of bird flu have been confirmed at commercial and non-commercial farms in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Avian flu is not a significant public health concern for healthy people who are not in regular contact with infected birds. However, it can, on rare occasions, cause disease in humans. Transmission to humans occurs when people have close contact with infected birds or heavily contaminated environments.
"It is recommended that people working with poultry suspected of being infected with avian influenza, or in contact with such poultry, wear protective clothing. This includes, face masks, goggles, gloves and boots," according to CFIA.
