Health
Strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza kills thousands of birds in Quebec
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MONTREAL — The carcasses of thousands of white gannets have been covering the shores of Quebec’s Îles-de-la-Madeleine for the last two weeks, victims of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
“Nobody had to tell me that this was happening; it’s obvious — we’re talking about thousands of dead birds,” Îles-de-la-Madeleine Mayor Jonathan Lapierre said in a recent interview.
“We’re not talking about waste or an ordinary situation. We’re talking about an extraordinary event outside of our own control. Especially since we don’t have an incinerator — we don’t have a landfill. We’re on an island!”
Quebec’s Wildlife Department says that since May 24, it has confirmed several hundred cases of highly pathogenic H5N1 on Îles-de-la-Madeleine, an archipelago of islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Lapierre said the operation to dispose of all the dead animals has begun. The carcasses, he added, have to be moved out by boat.
“All this isn’t easy considering our location … the boat also carries people and rare commodities,” Lapierre said. “We had to manage all these elements together.”
The highly contagious virus has been spreading across the country among wild and domestic birds such as turkeys, chickens and ducks. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has estimated almost two million birds in commercial farming operations have been destroyed because of the virus. The agency has said bird flu is spreading globally and outbreaks have been confirmed in every province except Prince Edward Island.
“This year has been an unprecedented year for avian influenza, globally,” the agency said in a statement.
“Birds in an infected barn will all die within days if they are not euthanized. It is also difficult to predict how long the (highly pathogenic H5N1) virus currently circulating will remain in North America. Research in Europe currently indicates … this particular strain does appear quite resilient and able to maintain itself in wild bird populations.”
Stéphane Lair, a professor of veterinary medicine at Université de Montréal, says the first highly pathogenic bird flu cases likely arrived in North America at the end of winter, involving birds that migrated from Europe.
“It happened naturally,” Lair said. “When a new virus arrives in a new population, animals have no immunity. There’s no doubt that, at first, the infection rate is going to be high.”
Serge Hubert, a resident of Îles-de-la-Madeleine, said in a recent interview he had never seen so many dead gannets floating in the water before this season.
“We’ve been seeing them floating for the past two or three weeks — dead. We fish 25 kilometres away from the shores and we see carcasses the entire way through.”
The Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, which partners with the federal government to monitor wild bird populations, said that while they can’t test every dead bird, they can link most cases on the island to H5N1. Marion Jalenques, a veterinarian with the group, said the H5N1 strain is not considered to be high-risk for humans but spreads rapidly among birds.
“We are testing a lot of cases right now, but we can’t receive 300 dead birds at once,” Jalenques said in a recent interview, adding that Quebec’s Eastern Townships and the Mauricie and Montérigie regions have also reported cases.
“If we test 10 out of a few hundred from the same event, for sure it’s related.”
She said while culling commercial poultry helps to prevent viral spread, it’s almost impossible to contain the virus in the wild.
“There’s not a lot we can do (to prevent it),” Jalenques said. “We’re talking about vast territories with large populations of birds. There’s a lot of disease in the wild that we can’t control.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on June 1, 2022.
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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
Virginie Ann, The Canadian Press
Health
CFIA continues surveillance for HPAI in cattle, while sticking with original name for disease – RealAgriculture
The Canada Food Inspection Agency will continue to refer to highly pathogenic avian influenza in cattle as HPAI in cattle, and not refer to it as bovine influenza A virus (BIAV), as suggested by the American Association of Bovine Practitioners earlier this month.
Dr. Martin Appelt, senior director for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, in the interview below, says at this time Canada will stick with “HPAI in cattle” when referencing the disease that’s been confirmed in dairy cattle in multiple states in the U.S.
The CFIA’s naming policy is consistent with the agency’s U.S. counterparts’, as the U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has also said it will continue referring to it as HPAI or H5N1.
Appelt explains how the CFIA is learning from the U.S. experience to-date, and how it is working with veterinarians across Canada to stay vigilant for signs of the disease in dairy and beef cattle.
As of April 19, there has not been a confirmed case of HPAI in cattle in Canada. Appelt says it’s too soon to say if an eventual positive case will significantly restrict animal movement, as is the case with positive poultry cases.
This is a major concern for the cattle industry, as beef cattle especially move north and south across the U.S. border by the thousands. Appelt says that CFIA will address an infection in each species differently in conjunction with how the disease is spread and the threat to neighbouring farms or livestock.
Currently, provincial dairy organizations have advised producers to postpone any non-essential tours of dairy barns, as a precaution, in addition to other biosecurity measures to reduce the risk of cattle contracting HPAI.
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Health
Toronto reports 2 more measles cases. Use our tool to check the spread in Canada – Toronto Star
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Canada has seen a concerning rise in measles cases in the first months of 2024.
By the third week of March, the country had already recorded more than three times the number of cases as all of last year. Canada had just 12 cases of measles in 2023, up from three in 2022.
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Cancer Awareness Month
Posted on: Apr 18, 2024
April is Cancer Awareness Month
As we recognize Cancer Awareness Month, we stand together to raise awareness, support those affected, advocate for prevention, early detection, and continued research towards a cure. Cancer is the leading cause of death for Métis women and the second leading cause of death for Métis men. The Otipemisiwak Métis Government of the Métis Nation Within Alberta is working hard to ensure that available supports for Métis Citizens battling cancer are culturally appropriate, comprehensive, and accessible by Métis Albertans at all stages of their cancer journey.
Receiving a cancer diagnosis, whether for yourself or a loved one, can feel overwhelming, leaving you unsure of where to turn for support. In June, our government will be launching the Cancer Supports and Navigation Program which will further support Métis Albertans and their families experiencing cancer by connecting them to OMG-specific cancer resources, external resources, and providing navigation support through the health care system. This program will also include Métis-specific peer support groups for those affected by cancer.
With funding from the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (CPAC) we have also developed the Métis Cancer Care Course to ensure that Métis Albertans have access to culturally safe and appropriate cancer services. This course is available to cancer care professionals across the country and provides an overview of who Métis people are, our culture, our approaches to health and wellbeing, our experiences with cancer care, and our cancer journey.
Together, we can make a difference in the fight against cancer and ensure equitable access to culturally safe and appropriate care for all Métis Albertans. Please click on the links below to learn more about the supports available for Métis Albertans, including our Compassionate Care: Cancer Transportation program.
I wish you all good health and happiness!
Bobbi Paul-Alook
Secretary of Health & Seniors
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