July 22, 2004

Poultry Farm In Canada Quarantined

A poultry farm in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada has been placed under quarantine, after two employees became ill and dozens of birds were found dead.

Two farmers became violently ill Tuesday morning, while 60 dead ducks were discovered on the farm.

Fearing a possible avian flu outbreak, federal, provincial and municipal health officials responded quickly in isolating the farm.

Even though officials discount the possibility that a deadly avian flu strain has been discovered, the dead birds are being thoroughly tested in a Guelph laboratory.

Ontario Public Safety Commissioner Dr. James Young stated that initial tests already indicate avian flu is not a factor.

"All of our testing at the farm would indicate that the problem there is not infectious in nature, and is unrelated to avian flu," Young said.

"We are still taking precautions as the tests are done to be absolutely certain."

Instead, officials are investigating the possibility that a malfunction in the ventilation system caused a toxic buildup of ammonia that killed the birds and made the workers sick.

There have been two human cases of avian flu infection in British Columbia, Canada. That strain of bird flu was not the same one that has killed 24 people and led to the cull of 100 million birds across Asia.