Overview

• The agency says there are between 300 and 330 ostriches on the Edgewood farm and it is providing feed and veterinary oversight, noting one bird has compromised health.
• An interim stay from the Supreme Court is pausing depopulation, which the CFIA argues should proceed under its stamping-out policy previously upheld by two lower courts.
• NCFAD analysis identified a novel H5N1 reassortant with enhanced pathogenicity and traced viruses from the farm as genetic ancestors of strains later detected in Ohio and Missouri.
• CFIA cautions that delaying culling and decontamination poses ongoing animal and human health risks despite its continued on-site control of the flock.
• RCMP maintain a presence as tensions escalate with reported threats, an alleged assault and a hay bale fire, while some experts say current spread risk may be low yet still warrant a cull and that flock-wide testing would be difficult and dangerous.