A third case of avian influenza has been confirmed in a backyard flock in Port Angeles, Washington State.
And there have been similar discoveries in
Idaho where three falcons and a backyard chicken flock have tested positive.
The Washington Department of Agriculture
— which previously confirmed outbreaks of H5N2 bird flu in Whatcom
and Benton counties — culled 118 birds over the weekend after a goose died
last week from avian flu.
The three outbreaks have prompted some
countries to ban poultry from the United States.
A duck shot by a hunter in Oregon also
tested positive for avian flu.
Canada has imposed a ban from the area where
the outbreaks have occurred, but not the entire nation.
British Columbia has had outbreaks in 11
commercial flocks, but none so far this month.
Canada faces a number of nation-wide trading
bans, including Europe. That means two breeding companies, Hybrid Turkeys of
Kitchener, Ont., and the Shaver egg-laying birds from Cambridge, have lost
significant export markets.
There have been no outbreaks in commercial
flocks in the U.S.
Wild migrating birds have been blamed for
outbreaks in both British Columbia and Washington State.
