P.E.I. hopes the worst of avian flu has passed as cases decline

P.E.I. officials say the worst may be over following a significant outbreak of avian flu on the Island earlier this year.

The province collected over 500 dead birds when avian flu cases starting ramping up. 

The disease had first been detected in crows and other resident birds, but in June there was a surge in the population of northern gannets and some other seabirds that drove up the numbers.

Garry Gregory, a biologist with the Environment Department's Fish and Wildlife division, said that now seems to be subsiding, at least in P.E.I.

"The hypothesis was it was affecting birds on on their breeding colonies, when assembled in very dense quarters," he said.

"Of course, when that happens, it's an opportunity for disease like avian influenza to spread quite rapidly.... Breeding has ceased at those colonies."

Northern gannets seen in P.E.I. don't breed in the province, but in the Magdalen Islands and northern Quebec.

Gregory said other colonies in Newfoundland may still be dealing with outbreaks, but that those birds aren't likely visitors.

He said that P.E.I. hasn't seen a widespread die-off of waterfowl related to the outbreak. While they can spread the disease they don't normally die from it. 

He said there were initial concerns for colonies of double-crested cormorants that breed within Prince Edward Island.

"And they certainly do breed in very dense colonies," Gregory said. 

"We're hopeful that we're beyond the point where, if that was going to happen, we would have detected. So … fingers crossed that we are through the worst of it."