OTTAWA — The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed on Thursday 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. He has not been identified.
Between April 12 and 14, poultry farms in the Brome-Missisquoi, Haut-Saint-François and Val-Saint-François MRCs were affected.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency 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.
Among the farms affected is Canards du Lac-Brome, which must slaughter 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 is ready to provide assistance to Canards du Lac Brome.
Veterinarian Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt, from the University of Montreal, points out that the type of bird flu found in Estrie is highly pathogenic and represents the strain most at risk that Quebec farmers have ever faced. It is stronger and more contagious than others, which means that the virus circulates more, according to the vet.