In an emailed statement, the CFIA confirmed that the virus was detected at a local commercial poultry farm on Nov. 14. The agency officially declared the outbreak on Sunday morning, marking the first active case in the Strathroy-Caradoc region since February.
A primary control zone has now been established around the affected site, designating the area where the CFIA believes the virus is present. Movement of birds, as well as any related products or by-products, requires special permits while the zone remains in effect. According to CFIA protocols, restrictions will stay in place until the farm completes all required cleaning and disinfection procedures. After that, the farm must observe a 14-day “vacancy period,” during which no domestic birds can be brought back onto the property.
Producers can seek compensation for any animals that must be destroyed as part of disease control measures. The Strathroy-Caradoc case is one of two active avian influenza outbreaks currently listed in Ontario on the CFIA’s website. Since March 2022, the province has recorded 67 outbreaks, affecting an estimated 1.25 million domestic birds.
Written by: C. Soares