Chicken farmers, wildlife workers on high alert after avian flu confirmed on Vancouver Island
The fears of many chicken farmers on Vancouver Island have been realized. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed that a case of the avian flu that's been spreading across Canada has been found in a small flock in the Comox Valley on Wednesday.
Jeremy Vigini considers his birds pets, but they do provide limited income on his Black Creek, B.C., hobby farm, Broken Head Farms.
He's only been at it for a few months but had heard the bird flu was headed towards the island.
"We first started hearing there was a problem last month," he said, noting that he'd been keeping an eye on biosecurity and preventative measures.
Vigini and other poultry operations of all sizes are now under tighter restrictions after a positive case of the avian flu was confirmed on the Mid-Island.
"All we got was a post saying it's in the Comox Valley now, and so our minds went to, 'How do we secure our birds, our pets, all this stuff?'" he said.
Vigini's now put up a new gate and increased fencing and netting to try to keep wild birds out.
WILDLIFE WORKERS
Staff and volunteers at the Mountainaire Avian Rescue Centre (MARS) in Merville are increasing their protocols.
"[It's] extremely contagious as far as we are aware, so at this point it can spread to any species of bird. Not necessarily all birds will show symptoms," said Gylaine Andersen, manager of wildlife rehabilitation at MARS.
Staff are now taking a second look at the condition of their current patients.
"It's kind of hard because a lot of these symptoms we're seeing in animals anyway, and now we have to think, 'OK maybe this is the flu instead of whatever else they would normally be,'" said Andersen.
The facility's asking the general public to help out by encouraging birds to socially distance.
"For gathering of birds at bird feeders and bird baths, we are asking that people take those down," said Andersen.
MARS is worried that if the avian flu is left unchecked, it could spread to wild birds, like eagles and geese.
As of Wednesday, seven properties across B.C. had confirmed cases of the avian flu.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
Powerful tornado tears across Nebraska, weather service warns of 'catastrophic' damage
Devastating tornadoes tore across parts of eastern Nebraska and northeast Texas Friday as a multi-day severe thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States.