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Second H5 avian influenza case confirmed in Ontario, Canada

Xinhua, April 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

Preliminary testing has confirmed the presence of H5 avian influenza on a broiler breeder chicken farm in Oxford County, Canada's Ontario province, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said Monday.

This is the second farm that has H5 avian influenza in Ontario this month. Early April, the CFIA confirmed the presence of H5 avian influenza on a turkey farm near Woodstock area in Ontario.

The CFIA has placed the farm under quarantine to control the spread of the disease and the poultry industry has been notified to adopt enhanced biosecurity practices.

All birds on the infected premises will be humanely destroyed and disposed of, in accordance with provincial environmental regulations and internationally accepted disease control guidelines.

Initial tests for the disease were conducted on April 17 at the Animal Health Laboratory at the University of Guelph, after the chicken farm experienced sudden deaths of birds over several days.

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