What you need to know about bird flu, poultry and dairy farms

TORONTO – People have been hearing a lot about the H5N1 bird flu – or highly pathogenic bird flu – since a B.C. teen became the first human to catch the virus in Canada and is in hospital.

It is not yet known how the teen became infected, but Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, said Wednesday that genomic sequencing shows they have an H5N1 strain similar to those found in outbreaks on poultry farms in British Columbia.

More than 20 locations with infected poultry have been identified in the province since early October, according to a news release recently posted on the BC government’s website.

The teen’s H5N1 strain is not the same genotype found in people infected from dairy cattle in the U.S., Tam said in an interview.

Although there have been several outbreaks of bird flu on dairy farms in several states, the virus has not been found on dairy farms anywhere in Canada.

How do we know that dairy cattle in Canada are not infected with H5N1?

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has tested raw milk entering processing plants in every province for the bird flu virus.

Pasteurized milk samples were also tested.

Tam said testing milk, like testing wastewater for viruses such as COVID-19 and seasonal flu, aims to provide an “early warning sign” if H5N1 has reached dairy farms in Canada.

If H5N1 ends up in milk, is it still safe to drink?

Yes, as long as milk is pasteurized, says the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

“In Canada, milk must be pasteurized before it is sold. The pasteurization process kills harmful bacteria and viruses, including HPAI (highly pathogenic bird flu), making milk and milk products safe to drink and eat,” the CFIA website says.

Is it safe to eat poultry, eggs and beef?

Yes, as long as they are cooked thoroughly.

Where are the infected poultry farms in Canada?

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website, as of Nov. 13, there were 28 contaminated poultry locations in British Columbia, two in Alberta and one in Saskatchewan.

Shayan Sharif, a professor of pathobiology at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College, said he believes H5N1 will reach poultry farms in other provinces.

“I hope I’m proven wrong … but I think in the not-too-distant future it’s probably going to go east,” he told The Canadian Press.

What do you do if there is an H5N1 infection at a company?

Farmers are required to notify the CFIA if they suspect their birds or livestock have bird flu.

All poultry should be killed on farms that have tested positive for H5N1, Sharif said. But cattle don’t need to be killed, he said.

The virus can be spread through direct contact with infected animals, but can also spread through contaminated barns and other environments.

“Biosecurity” is one of the most important ways to stop the spread of bird flu between farms, Sharif said.

This means that workers must wear personal protective equipment and change clothes when entering and leaving a farm where bird flu has been detected.

It also means no sharing of equipment between farms, and no washing and disinfecting of trucks delivering supplies and feed, he said.

Sharif said he supports offering bird flu vaccines to farm workers – a move that Finland has adopted.

Health Canada has approved three flu vaccines that can be used to protect against H5N1 bird flu.

Those vaccines are not currently available here, but Tam said public health officials are “very interested” in learning from Finland and are actively investigating the potential use of H5N1 vaccines as they monitor bird flu activity in Canada.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 15, 2024.

Canadian Press’ healthcare coverage is supported through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. CP is solely responsible for this content.

Nicole Ireland, The Canadian Press