Wild birds with H5 flu virus found in Canada
1/11/2005 11:59
Several birds in Canada have been discovered to be carrying unidentified
H5 flu viruses, but it is not known if they have H5N1 virus, the dangerous
subtype of the avian flu, health officials confirmed Monday.
The infected
wild birds were discovered in Quebec and Manitoba and were among thousands
sampled in Canada, officials from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency
said.
"Preliminary testing has identified H5 influenza in 28 samples from
Quebec, and five from Manitoba," Jim Clark of the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency told a news conference.
However, it will not be known until mid-week
whether the birds carry the dangerous H5N1 subtype of the avian flu.
Even if
the Canadian birds are carrying the H5N1 virus, it does not mean they are
necessarily related to the viruses behind the poultry outbreaks in southeast
Asia, officials stressed.
"It is important to clarify that the avian
influenza virus is not new to wild birds. Experts worldwide know that this virus
... has circulated among wild birds around the world for hundreds, or perhaps
even for thousands of years," Clark said.
So far, the outbreaks in Asia have
infected 121 people and caused more than 60 deaths in Thailand, Vietnam,
Indonesia and Cambodia.
Earlier this month, Australia imposed a ban on live
bird imports from Canada after three imported Canadian racing pigeons tested
positive for bird flu antibodies. The ban was later lifted after officials in
Ottawa provided compelling evidence proving Canada free of H5N1.
Xinhua News
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