Sudbury health unit on the lookout for avian flu cases in local birds

Public Health Sudbury and Districts says it's preparing for the prospect of outbreaks of avian flu in birds in the region.

The virus has been detected in migratory wild birds, as well as poultry and pet birds.

There is concern it could mutate, and become transmissible to humans and cause serious illness.

"I don't really think it's a question of if we get an outbreak, it's more a question of when, based on how it's spreading globally and that's with respect to poultry and livestock," said Jonathan Groulx, one of the managers of environmental health in the health protection branch.

"Human cases are rare, but certainly we'll be involved when there's an animal that tests positive."

So far, the only human case of avian flu in Canada was in a British Columbia teen last November, who became severely ill.

Sudbury's medical officer of health,  Dr. Mustafa Hirji, says it is unlikely that avian flu could lead to a pandemic, but it is possible.

"We've seen a lot of avian influenza in the last year and there's once again, quite significant concern that this could end up as another pandemic," he told a meeting of the board Public Health Unit Sudbury and Districts. "I do want to caution that the most likely outcome is it will not be a pandemic, but there is certainly the risk there."