29 poultry farms under quarantine as CFIA implements control zone

April 13, 2015 – On Friday April 10 the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced that it has expanded the quarantine zone around a tukey farm confirmed to have H5N2 avian influenza (the index farm) from a five km radius to 10 km.  As a result, an additional twenty poultry farms in Ontario are now under quarantine in Oxford County.

 This is in addition to the eight farms placed under quarantine by the CFIA last week, bringing the total number of farms under quarantine to 29.

The CFIA says all the farms are in an avian influenza `”control zone” which has been established to control the movement of animal products and equipment in order to minimize the spread of disease.

Dr. Abed Harchaoui, a senior staff veterinarian at the CFIA, says the additional farms have been placed under quarantine as a precaution.

“This move is an effective balance between strong disease control methods and the ability to resume trade,” he said. “The agency is monitoring these additional premises closely for any sign of disease.”

Harchaoui said the avian influenza control zone will be in place until the CFIA is confident the disease is no longer circulating in the area.

As a proactive and precautionary measure, member Boards of the Feather Board Command Centre are continuing to postpone district and other meetings of poultry farmers in Ontario and next week’s poultry show in London has been cancelled.