Thursday, March 28, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. bird flu outbreak 'concerning,' minister says

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 22 Nov, 2022 04:45 PM
  • B.C. bird flu outbreak 'concerning,' minister says

VICTORIA - Farmers in British Columbia's Fraser Valley are facing "intense disease pressure" from an avian flu outbreak in commercial farms that the agriculture minister says is concerning.

Lana Popham says normally avian flu aligns with bird migration seasons, but the latest infections in farms of the H5N1 virus have been consistent all year.

The province said Monday that seven commercial farms in Abbotsford and Chilliwack has been quarantined with avian flu, while on Tuesday, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said three more farms in the Fraser Valley tested positive for the flu.

Popham says the federal Canadian Food Inspection Agency takes the lead when a farm reports an infection, but B.C.'s chief veterinarian has been proactive in helping to prevent the spread of the disease.

She says the testing lab is working seven days a week with the capacity for about 300 tests a day.

The minister says the inspection agency has protocols in place to deal with infected farms and that often means "depopulation," or that the flocks will be culled.

She says the situation isn't as bad as it was in 2004, when 17 million farm birds were destroyed.

“And we’re hoping it won’t get there," Popham added.

MORE National ARTICLES

Woman robbed while trying to withdraw money from an East Van ATM over the weekend

Woman robbed while trying to withdraw money from an East Van ATM over the weekend
The 34-year-old victim was attempting to use a bank machine near Broadway and Commercial around 10 p.m. Saturday when she was approached by a stranger who asked for a cigarette. The victim refused, and the man allegedly shoved her against a wall and demanded money.

Woman robbed while trying to withdraw money from an East Van ATM over the weekend

B.C. Premier Eby to share plans for housing crisis

B.C. Premier Eby to share plans for housing crisis
His proposed plan would fast-track affordable housing by speeding approvals, use government land for some projects, make all secondary suites across the province legal and allow homebuilders to replace a single-family house with up to three units on the same lot.  

B.C. Premier Eby to share plans for housing crisis

Help identify suspect in racist graffiti: Surrey RCMP

Help identify suspect in racist graffiti: Surrey RCMP
Frontline officers located similar graffiti on a nearby elementary school while in the area investigating. As well in September 2022, there was a similar incident of graffiti where the same fence and school were vandalized.

Help identify suspect in racist graffiti: Surrey RCMP

Doctors urge families to get influenza vaccine

Doctors urge families to get influenza vaccine
The Canadian Paediatric Society said the advice was even more urgent for families with young kids, as influenza is spreading rapidly, along with surges of COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus.

Doctors urge families to get influenza vaccine

Another $1.2 billion for ocean protection: feds

Another $1.2 billion for ocean protection: feds
The funding is part of an extra $2 billion allocated in this year’s federal budget to renew and expand the Oceans Protection Plan over nine years. Among the projects are plans to set up a national system for all marine pollution incidents, which includes preparing for releases of hazardous or noxious substances from ships.

Another $1.2 billion for ocean protection: feds

Evacuation alert due to wildfire by Agassiz, B.C.

Evacuation alert due to wildfire by Agassiz, B.C.
The BC Wildfire Service says the fire discovered Thursday is believed to be human-caused and is just over one hectare in size. Many parts of British Columbia have experienced drought conditions this fall, in stark contrast to the torrential rains that wreaked havoc on the province one year ago.

Evacuation alert due to wildfire by Agassiz, B.C.