Peel health officials preparing for avian flu after confirmed cases in dead birds

Public health officials in Peel are monitoring suspected cases of avian flu and preparing for any potential exposure to residents after a “large number” of dead birds were found in the region over the last several weeks.

Peel Public Health has not confirmed how many birds have been found or where they were all located and instead directed the questions to the City of Brampton, which did not provide a number.

A spokesperson from the Region’s health services department said the March 7 notice “was not necessarily in response to a single incident,” and that the Region receives reports from all municipalities in Peel “when there are suspected cases of Avian iInfluenza in dead birds.” The Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC) is currently testing the birds to determine the cause of death.

“Avian Influenza is being found in wildlife that may be migrating, which makes it difficult to limit spread,” the spokesperson added. “We are monitoring reports of dead birds and following provincial and federal guidance so we are prepared in the event of a human case in Peel.”

Town of Caledon officials first confirmed an outbreak of Avian Influenza, also known as bird flu, at stormwater ponds in Bolton and Southfields Village on January 24th. According to the Town, testing from the CWHC revealed the reports were from dead geese found near the ponds. A spokesperson from the Town told The Pointer that “Due to the extreme cold weather and snow coverage the last several weeks, dead geese were buried under the snow and it is unclear how many were impacted.” They added that staff are making regular site visits to monitor and control the potential spread of the virus and residents are urged to not visit the impacted stormwater ponds.

Just over a month later, the City of Brampton reported deceased waterfowl that tested positive for the virus on February 28th near Mayfield Road and The Gore Road. A press release from the City also warned of waterfowl suspected to be infected found in the Professor’s Lake area, James Potter Road and Bovaird Drive West, as well as near Ray Lawson Drive and Cherrytree Drive. Brampton Animal Services has since sent samples to the CWHC and City officials say they are “actively monitoring the situation and working with all government partners.” Given the low risk of the virus spreading to humans, all public spaces where infected waterfowl were discovered continue to remain open to the public with signage installed at identified hotspots.

Peel officials confirmed there has been no transmission to humans reported to date as a result of the documented cases in the region, but as the migratory birds are coming back this spring, there could be an increase in outbreaks among local bird populations, driving up the risk of potential transmission to humans. 

“Peel Public Health is concerned with the reports of positive avian influenza cases in birds that are popping up all over southern Ontario, especially since we are on the cusp of spring migration,” the Region’s spokesperson said. “Peel wanted to make residents aware that the risk to human health remains low, and out of an abundance of caution, also inform them about the potential risk of handling ill or dead wildlife.”

In response to the growing number of reports related to avian flu, the City of Mississauga has also released information notifying residents of the risks, cautioning that there have been reports of sick or dead birds on public and private property in the municipality. The City is urging residents to report any sightings of dead birds to 311 immediately. Anyone who encounters a sick or dead bird or other animal should also inform the Ontario Regional Centre of the CWHC at 1-866-673-4781.

On Monday, the United States reported the first deadly outbreak of avian flu at a poultry farm since 2017. 

(Alexis Wright/The Pointer files) 

Though the zoonotic virus primarily infects birds, it can also be transmitted to poultry and other animals and, in very rare instances, it can also spread to humans, though the risk of transmission is low. While there is limited risk to humans, the Public Health Agency of Canada strongly recommends residents avoid handling sick or dead wild birds or other wildlife. Pets should also be kept away from sick or dead wildlife. Individuals with increased risk of exposure to the virus are those who work directly with poultry or livestock on farms or backyard flocks, as well as wildlife rescue workers who are in close contact with wild birds for conservation, research or rehabilitation purposes. 

In recent years as migratory patterns change in response to a warming climate, there has been an increase in avian flu cases detected in Canada as a more transmissible strain has developed. In 2022, the virus became widespread across the country, devastating poultry farms and many different species of birds and other wildlife. The virus affects all types of birds, especially those that tend to stay in flocks. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) infections in wild birds can show symptoms in the respiratory, digestive and nervous systems and is predominantly transmitted through secretions, feces, contaminated feed, water and equipment. The same risk threatens any animal that lives among or preys on birds, or scavenges carcasses.

As of February 21st, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has reported over 14.4 million birds have been impacted by the virus. Government officials maintain there is no risk in consuming factory farmed chickens or their eggs.

The HPAI strain H5N1 was first detected in Canada in 2021, according to Public Health Ontario, and continues to spread globally with recurring reports in various species. Most recently, the H5N1 strain has also been detected in livestock, particularly in dairy cattle.

“The current H5N1 has been the worst we have seen in the U.S. and Canada,” Dr. Shayan Sharif, a veterinary pathologist, previously told The Pointer as a third wave of the virus plagued bird populations in 2023. 

While few human cases associated with the avian flu H5N1 outbreak have been detected since 2021 (no cases have been reported in Peel or Ontario) Canada confirmed its first human case of the strain in British Columbia in November. It was the first reported domestically acquired human case of H5N1 avian flu in Canada since the strain first emerged in humans in 1997. Details of the case revealed a 13-year-old girl from B.C. tested positive for the H5N1 virus, according to a report released in December by the New England Journal of Medicine. In the span of four days, the teen had progressed from a fever and conjunctivitis in both eyes to being transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at B.C. Children’s Hospital with temporary oxygen support. By then she was suffering from respiratory failure, pneumonia, kidney injury, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia.

The source of the disease and how it was transmitted remains unknown, but it was assumed through genome sequencing that there might be a linkage between the case and two infected wild geese who were found dead in the Fraser Valley, where the 13-year-old lived in October last year, or that the infection may have originated from a poultry farm in B.C. where outbreaks of H5N1 had been previously reported. 

While Avian Influenza is most commonly found in bird species, it is increasingly being found in livestock like cattle and poultry.

(Alexis Wright/The Pointer files) 

Experts have been raising concerns in recent years about the H5N1 strain mutating as it evolves among both wild and domesticated birds, increasing the chances that one of these mutations could lead to an improved strain that could find a way to spread with ease among humans.

In the last year alone, there have been cases of the virus associated with dairy cattle in the United States popping up after several dairy farms in Texas reported cases of HPAI in their cattle last March. Since then, the United States Department of Agriculture has documented at least 985 infected dairy herds across the U.S., including 754 in California. Just last week, San Bernardino County in California reported that four dairy farms had tested positive for the H5NI strain in the area. According to the Government of Canada, the HPAI found in U.S. dairy cattle has not been detected in domestic flocks in Canada to date. 

Several human cases have been reported in the U.S, many of which have been traced back to the exposure to infected poultry or dairy cows. In the U.S., 67 confirmed human cases of H5N1 have been reported, including 11 in Washington State, while outbreaks among poultry have been reported in all 50 states.

Despite the U.S. Centre for Disease Control and other government officials maintaining the public health risk is minimal, a “worrisome” genetic mutation identified in the virus is raising concern among experts who fear mutations could potentially target human cells more easily, and the severity of the disease could enhance. This is particularly concerning among high-risk populations such as agricultural workers and those in close contact with infected birds. Researchers of the New England Journal of Medicine have identified an urgent need for more monitoring and containment strategies in Canada and the U.S.. 

There is currently no vaccine for H5N1 and no protection against the strain from seasonal influenza vaccinations. Antiviral medications can help reduce morbidity and mortality, especially when treatment is initiated in the early stages of the infection.

Dr. Monica Hau, lead physician and associate medical health officer at Peel Public Health, recently told The Pointer that Peel Public Health has established routine measures to address emerging diseases, but as one of the lowest funded health units in Ontario per capita — the region has been facing a nearly $10 million shortfall in funding since 2018 — it raises concerns for officials as Peel’s healthcare system works to manage the different infections emerging in the region while battling historic underfunding.

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Twitter: @mcpaigepeacock

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