Avian flu outbreaks on four southwestern Ontario poultry farms lead to 63,000 birds culled

Four poultry farms in southwestern Ontario have confirmed avian flu outbreaks, leading to the culling of over 63,000 birds. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency declared a new outbreak Friday, bringing the total to four in the Strathroy area over the past two weeks. Previous outbreaks affected tens of thousands of turkeys. The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a flock health issue, not a food safety concern. Control zones are in place to prevent further spread, and while rare, H5N1 can infect humans with close contact.