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this is getting scary

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Manitoba_Rancher

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Wild birds with H5 flu virus found in Canada
CTV.ca News Staff

Several wild birds carrying H5 flu viruses have been found in Quebec and Manitoba, officials from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced Monday.

"Preliminary testing has identified H5 influenza in 28 samples from Quebec, and five from Manitoba," Jim Clark of the CFIA told a news conference.

However, officials don't know yet if the birds have the lethal H5N1 subtype of the avian flu; there are believed to be nine different H5 subtypes.

And he noted that the virus does not appear to be killing the birds.

"The evidence we have observed strongly indicates that these healthy birds were not infected with the same virus that is currently present in Asia," he said.

Health officials in Winnipeg conducting tests on the H5-infected birds won't know whether they have H5N1 until mid-week.

The birds are believed to be among thousands that have been tested in Canada.

Even if the Canadian birds are carrying the H5N1 virus, it does not mean they are necessarily related to the viruses behind the poultry outbreaks in southeast Asia.

"It is important to clarify that the avian influenza virus is not new to wild birds," Clark said. "Experts worldwide know that this virus, in one form or another, has circulated among wild birds around the world for hundreds, or perhaps even for thousands of years."

Indeed, it's not the first time that avian viruses have been found in North America. For more than a decade, parts of Mexico suffered through an outbreak of the H5N2 avian flu in poultry operations.

And last year in Canada, testing revealed that the avian flu found on a goose and duck farm near Abbotsford, B.C. was not the deadly H5 variety. Instead, the CFIA said that the 37,000 geese on the Fraser Valley Duck and Goose Ltd. farm were exposed to the H6 avian influenza virus.

The outbreak caused no major human health problems, but forced the culling of some 16 million poultry.

So far, the outbreaks in Asia have infected 121 people and caused more than 60 deaths in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia.

With the strain crawling through Europe as migrating fowl fly westward, there are mounting fears that the virus could mutate into one that can easily spread among humans and thus prompt a global pandemic.

Earlier in the month, Australia lifted a ban on live bird imports from Canada, after officials in Ottawa provided compelling evidence proving the country was free of H5N1.

Australian officials announced the ban after three imported racing pigeons from Canada tested positive for bird flu antibodies. The pigeons, which were later destroyed, tested positive for bird flu antibodies while being held in quarantine in the southern city of Melbourne.

That means the three birds weren't infected with avian flu, but rather that they had fought off a previous infection.

Antibodies help strengthen the immune system and, unlike the viruses they fight, aren't infectious.
 
Last year the US had a strain of H5.

http://www.osha.gov/dsg/guidance/avian-flu.htm
 
Last year the US had a strain of H5.
Yes it was a strain BUT if you read the article

In February 2004, different strains of avian flu were detected among several flocks of birds in the U.S. and state officials ordered the destruction of hundreds of thousands of birds. The avian influenza strain found in Delaware was (H7N2), in Pennsylvania the strain was (H2N2), and the (H5N2) strain was found in Texas. The strain found in Texas has been determined to be "highly pathogenic" to birds. However, the strain of avian influenza in Texas is not the same as the strain that is affecting Asia.1

I know with BSE you saw first hand what rumors and misinformation can do. I am NOT saying this is something that can be overlooked but we need to verify and double check before reacting.
 
MsSage said:
Last year the US had a strain of H5.
Yes it was a strain BUT if you read the article

In February 2004, different strains of avian flu were detected among several flocks of birds in the U.S. and state officials ordered the destruction of hundreds of thousands of birds. The avian influenza strain found in Delaware was (H7N2), in Pennsylvania the strain was (H2N2), and the (H5N2) strain was found in Texas. The strain found in Texas has been determined to be "highly pathogenic" to birds. However, the strain of avian influenza in Texas is not the same as the strain that is affecting Asia.1

I know with BSE you saw first hand what rumors and misinformation can do. I am NOT saying this is something that can be overlooked but we need to verify and double check before reacting.
Yes I did read the article. That's why I posted that the US had a strain of H5 last year with a link to the article. I wonder if Farmers-Chicken Action Legal Fund (F-Calf) can get the border closed over this? Maybe put a up mesh net about 30,000 feet high up along the 49th. :lol:
 
Soapweed said:
That's funny, Bill. Good one. :lol:


Sure is!

Do you suppose the Land Lock-Out people will seize upon that and have a REAL land lock-out of game birds and animals migrating to the USA from Canada? Who knows the possibilities there????? Just attempting a joke, in case some get bent out of shape over these comments!

MRJ
 
Wonder if BS bullard will be leading this group, or maybe pinnochio Mcdonnell will lead the F-calf after hes done with R-cult? :wink:
 
In Sask. the Wildlife federation says we should have longer seasons and higher limits to harvest more birds and we have Ducks Unlimited wanting to increase bird populations by purtecting wet lands Does DU just want to save the environment or are they just raising more birds for US hunters?
 

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