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3h ago

CFIA Maintains Custody of Edgewood Ostriches Under Supreme Court Stay

The agency points to a novel, highly pathogenic H5N1 genotype linked to U.S. cases as grounds for urgent depopulation.

Karen Espersen, centre, the co-owner of Universal Ostrich Farms, speaks with supporters with her daughter, Katie Pasitney, at the farm in Edgewood, B.C., on Monday, Sept. 22, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Hemens

Overview

  • CFIA says it is feeding and monitoring the flock under veterinary oversight and has counted between 300 and 330 birds, with one identified as in compromised health.
  • The agency warns that delaying depopulation and decontamination presents potential risks to animal and human health.
  • NCFAD sequencing found a novel H5N1 reassortant not previously seen in Canada that includes the D1.3 genotype associated with a human infection in Ohio.
  • Laboratory testing indicates enhanced pathogenicity, with low-dose exposures causing rapid death in mice within four to five days.
  • Genomic analysis links samples from the farm as direct ancestors of D1.3 viruses detected in Ohio and Missouri in late 2024, and CFIA notes its stamping‑out policy has been upheld by two federal courts as RCMP probe threats tied to the operation.