After Montérégie last week, it is now Centre-du-Québec’s turn to find itself in the presence of dead geese, which would have contracted avian flu.
Several dead birds were found in Drummondville and Victoriaville.
Every morning, Philippe Halo walks along the Saint-François River, near Drummondville’s municipal beach, to observe birds. For several weeks, the pensioner, who is also a fan of hunting, finds carcasses of dead geese on the edge of the banks every day.
“There were more and more people dying every day. It varies between 15 to 30 geese per day [selon mes estimations]. I don’t like it, because it’s not a good sign. I’m a hunter by the way. When you see such a thing, you think of avian flu,” explained the pensioner, who contacted the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks to report the presence of these birds.
Several tens of kilometers further, in Victoriaville, nearly 200 carcasses of dead geese were picked up this weekend, at the Beaudet Reservoir, during an operation carried out jointly by the firefighters of the City of Victoriaville and the Protective Society of animals of Arthabaska (SPAA).
Quebec has confirmed that it has received reports of dead geese in Drummondville and Victoriaville.
“We still have confirmations that in the areas of Drummondville and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, we had the presence of avian influenza in wild birds. It must be remembered that these wild birds are the natural reservoir of the avian influenza virus. It is normal to observe it in these populations. They are the ones who will spread the virus along the migratory corridors,” explained Ariane Massé, biologist in the biosecurity and wild animal health division at the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Wildlife. Parks.
A surveillance program for avian influenza in wild birds is underway. With this project, nearly 800 specimens were analyzed in the province, including about fifty in Centre-du-Québec. The biologist wishes to reassure the population, and recalls that this virus is difficult to transmit to humans. If you find a carcass, it is recommended that you do not handle it and report its presence to the relevant authorities.