Avian influenza present on P.E.I., but not a risk to general public, experts say

Gwyneth Egan · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 26, 2025 5:48 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

Prince Edward Islanders are being reminded to support their region from sick, dying oregon dormant wildlife arsenic avian influenza — commonly known arsenic vertebrate flu oregon H5N1 — continues to circulate connected the Island.

The microorganism has been contiguous connected the Island for years, and was precocious confirmed to person infected a ample fig of dying and dormant Canada geese successful Vernon Bridge, P.E.I.

"It serves arsenic a reminder that the microorganism is retired determination and it is circling," said Dr. Jill Wood, P.E.I.'s main veterinary officer. 

The highly contagious microorganism tin beryllium transmitted to birds and mammals, including humans. But the hazard to the wide nationalist is low, Wood said. 

"That being said, we're surely cautioning radical not to attack sick wildlife oregon grip sick wildlife," she said. 

If idiosyncratic needed to interact with sick oregon dormant wildlife — similar to region a dormant crow from their lawn, for illustration — Wood offered immoderate advice: "Wear a mask, deterioration gloves, treble container it." 

She besides added that it's champion to usage a shovel and not your hands. 

How the microorganism is spread

The H5N1 microorganism is dispersed by interaction with bodily fluids, including feces, said Marguerite Cameron, communicable illness epidemiologist astatine the Chief Public Health Office.

While quality corruption is rare, it tin hap done adjacent interaction with infected birds oregon heavy infected environments specified arsenic poultry farms, Cameron said.

Using idiosyncratic protective instrumentality — oregon PPE — is precise important to trim exposure, she said. 

Cameron said her proposal to Islanders is to ever support region from chaotic birds and chaotic animals. 

"Don't grip them, don't prime them up, don't provender them," she said. 

Islanders should besides support pets distant from immoderate animals that mightiness beryllium sick, dying oregon dead, arsenic mammals tin go infected by scavenging connected dormant birds, Cameron said. 

"That's wherefore it's important for favored owners particularly to marque definite that their pets are not accessing immoderate sick oregon dormant animals," she said.

If determination is simply a dormant vertebrate oregon carnal that Islanders consciousness acrophobic about, they tin telephone the Forests, Fish and Wildlife part of the province's Department of Environment, Water and Climate Change. 

Staying harmless and healthy

In February, the Public Health Agency of Canada said it purchased 500,000 doses of a quality vaccine to support those astir astatine hazard of vulnerability to the virus.

P.E.I. volition person entree to this stockpile, Cameron said, adding that determination is an allocation model and a hazard appraisal to find eligibility. 

Currently, the nationalist advisory committee connected immunization does not person recommendations arsenic to however the vaccine volition beryllium deployed much broadly, she said. 

What Islanders tin bash is guarantee they are up to day with their seasonal flu vaccine, Cameron said. 

"While [seasonal flu] vaccine won't support them against avian influenza, it volition support them from perchance getting a co-infection with avian influenza and seasonal flu," she said, adding that a co-infection could effect successful much captious illness. 

The 2 flu viruses could besides speech familial material, which could perchance effect successful a caller influenza strain, she said. 

"That is what we're truly trying to avoid," she said. 

For Dr. Wade Sweet, a veterinarian astatine West Prince Veterinary Hospital, an avian influenza vaccine is thing helium said helium would beryllium funny successful getting if it was offered.

Until then, helium relies connected basal biosecurity measures specified arsenic wearing cleanable coveralls, boots and gloves erstwhile handling birds.

For Islanders wondering astir nutrient safety, Sweet said cooked poultry, eggs and pasteurized dairy products are inactive harmless to consume. 

"Anything you spot that's successful the market store, it's been pasteurized... it's not going to infect you," helium said. 

Sweet said the hazard to the wide nationalist is low, and Islanders shouldn't beryllium overly concerned.  

"The microorganism is retired there. It's thing to beryllium alert of but it's not thing that should devour your beingness oregon marque you anxious," helium said. 

"If the incidence of the microorganism increases, if we person much flocks that abruptly die, it'll beryllium thing to beryllium much alert of. But for close now, it's thing to cognize that it's there, but not beryllium frightened of."