Avian flu continues spread

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Published: December 18, 2014

Avian influenza has been detected in a 10th British Columbia poultry farm as of Dec. 15.

It brings the total number of poultry to be destroyed in the province to 233,800 birds since the highly virulent H5N2 virus was confirmed.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed avian influenza in the latest barn Dec. 13.

It is a table egg layer barn with 53,000 birds in Langley.

This is the first time birds in Langley have tested positive.

The first barn to test positive was a broiler breeder facility in Chilliwack Dec. 1. The rest of the barns have all been in Abbotsford.

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A broiler breeder barn with 7,000 birds in Abbotsford tested positive for avian influenza Dec. 11.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency continues to investigate the outbreak. Officials have warned that more barns could test positive.

The agency established a primary control zone across most of southern B.C. in an effort to prevent its spread. All movement of captive birds in and out of the zone is strictly controlled and requires a permit from the CFIA.

The primary control zone is divided into three disease control zones, infected, restricted and security, which represent relative levels of risk.

Officials hope the control zones will limit the economic impact from other countries. Nine countries have placed partial or full bans on poultry and poultry products from Canada because of the outbreak.

The CFIA continues to report to the World Organization for Animal Health on its ongoing investigation and control plans.

Producers are compensated for destroyed birds through a sliding scale based on type and age.

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