OTTAWA — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed a fifth case of type H5 avian influenza in Estrie.
For the second time in five days, a poultry farm in the Regional County Municipality (MRC) Les Sources is affected.
Producer Canards du Lac Brome confirmed Friday that another of its sites was affected by avian flu. It is that of Saint-Georges-de-Windsor, which brings to four the number of places affected for the company.
The company, which is one of the largest duck producers in Canada, announced on Wednesday that it had to cull 150,000 birds and lay off nearly 300 employees. The company estimates that it will likely take 6 to 12 months and large sums of money to fully restore operations.
On Thursday, Premier François Legault said his government was ready to provide assistance to Canards du Lac Brome.
Elsewhere in Estrie
Between April 12 and 14, poultry farms in the Brome-Missisquoi, Haut-Saint-François and Val-Saint-François MRCs were affected. Among them, two are production sites of Canards du Lac Brome, including its head office, and the third is a small farm.
The CFIA assures that the infected sites have been quarantined and that it has established movement control measures. She recommends that other farms in the region increase biosecurity measures.
Primary control zones have been established by the agency in areas where the disease has been detected to prevent the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
Canards du Lac Brome has also indicated that all of its products offered for sale are healthy and safe for consumption.
Veterinarian Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt, of the University of Montreal, pointed out that the type of avian flu found in Estrie is highly pathogenic and represents the strain most at risk with which Quebec farmers have ever been confronted. It is stronger and more contagious than others, which means that the virus circulates more, according to the vet.
