Preliminary testing has detected the H5N1 virus in Canada geese found dead in Vernon Bridge, P.E.I.

In conversation with The Guardian, Dr. Megan Jones, Atlantic regional director for the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative and an associate professor at the Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC), stated that on Feb. 23, the AVC received seven dead Canada geese collected near Vernon Bridge. The following day, lab staff conducted polymerase chain reaction testing on samples taken from the birds. By Feb. 25, preliminary results were available after testing 10 additional carcasses, confirming the presence of H5 avian influenza.

Once multiple geese tested positive, samples were sent to the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease laboratory in Winnipeg for confirmatory testing. As of yet, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency had not yet verified the results.

“It takes days to weeks to get the results from there, it really depends,” Jones said.

Reports received by the AVC indicate a large number of Canada geese have been dying, exhibiting symptoms consistent with a neurological disease.

“They were dying pretty rapidly, very suspicious for avian influenza, and so I fully expect these birds to be confirmed as positive,” Jones said.

Jones emphasized the importance of precautions to protect both people and domestic animals from potential exposure to H5N1.