Avian flu case discovered in Greater Victoria, officials confirm

Chickens are seen in a CTV News file image.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed a case of avian flu has been detected in Greater Victoria, on the Saanich Peninsula.

That has poultry farmers and backyard egg producers on southern Vancouver Island on high alert.

Due to the outbreak, a primary control zone has been established around the area that the disease was detected.

"We are now operating on the south island with different biosecurity protocols, which would affect farms or anyone with backyard poultry,” said Lana Popham, minister of agriculture and food.

Those restrictions mean poultry is not allowed to be moved around the south island, and that poultry needs to be contained inside.

The public is also being asked to watch for dead wild birds – and if found, report them to the CFIA.

Ann Nightingale, a volunteer with Rocky Point Bird Observatory, said Saanich’s Panama Flats is a popular spot for migrating water fowl, and that could be a clue as to how the virus made it to the Saanich Peninsula.

“The map right now shows that we are in an affected area,” said Nightingale.

Over the past few weeks, a number of water fowl have been found dead in the waters of the Flats, she said. There is a good chance avian flu was brought into the area through the migrating bird population.

"If you have a backyard flock it is recommended that you don't be feeding wild birds right now while this avian influenza is around,” said Nightingale.

She said so far, it’s unclear if any of those dead birds from Panama Flats have been tested for the bird flu.

One found dead near Royal Road University was. The results showed that green-winged teal did die from the influenza.

As to which farm on the peninsula experienced this recent outbreak, the CFIA isn’t saying, although it is suspected to be not far from Panama Flats.

"Unfortunately with this disease, it's just going to kill them,” said Rachel Goddard, a Fowl Creatures 4-H Club leader.

Goddard owns flocks of backyard chickens and ducks. She says there is no silver bullet cure for avian flue, and when a group of birds become infected, euthanizing the entire flock is the only way of stopping the spread.

"It's difficult if you were to be losing all of your birds and I feel for those people that have had to lose all of their entire flocks,” said Roddard.

"It's a very contagious disease and we have about 54 farms in British Columbia that are infected right now,” said Popham.

That now include a farm on south Vancouver Island and another in the Campbell River area.