Avian influenza (AI) is a disease caused by a virus that primarily infects domestic poultry and wild birds such as geese, ducks and shore birds. Each year, there is a “bird flu” season, and some forms of the “bird flu” are worse than others. Wild birds, especially waterfowl, are a natural reservoir for mild strains of AI. Highly pathogenic H5N1 is a strain known to kill both wild birds and commercial poultry.

The highly pathogenic H5N1 virus, or the “bird flu”, is not the same as an influenza pandemic. An influenza pandemic is a large and severe world-wide epidemic of a human flu virus. Although there has been laboratory confirmed human cases of H5N1 in Asia (for example, in Indonesia and China), the virus does not have the attributes necessary for a pandemic. Specifically, the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus does not transmit easily from birds to humans and there has been no sustained human-to-human transmission.

The highly pathogenic H5N1 virus has not been detected in Canada, and at this time, there is no reason to believe that backyard birds or wild birds are a threat to the public.

The Province of Ontario is working with local, other provincial, federal and international authorities to monitor AI. The government is also participating in refining plans to treat an AI outbreak in our domestic poultry operations, should it occur.

The ministry has been working on an operational plan to support and guide a health response to avian influenza in the domestic poultry population.

Operational Plan During an Outbreak of Avian Influenza in the Domestic Poultry Populations : Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Actions and Responsibilities complements both the Foreign Animal Disease Emergency Response Plan (FADERP) and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Emergency Response Plan (MERP).

The plan is available for downloading in PDF format.

In addition to the operational plan, the “Avian Influenza: A Guide to Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment for Workers and Employers Working With or Around Poultry or Wild Birds” has been released by the Ontario Avian Influenza Working Group. This group has representation from the federal government and key provincial ministries, including the Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

This PPE guide will further assist local health units in appropriate response activities, as well as help further guide and support outbreak control measures. The plan is available for downloading in PDF format.

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