Canada continues efforts to monitor dairy cattle for HPAI

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and Health Canada, is monitoring dairy cows for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) as part of the Government of Canada’s One Health Approach.

Commercially sold milk and milk products in Canada are subject to mandatory pasteurization, which eliminates harmful bacteria and viruses, including HPAI.

Since September 5, 2024, CFIA laboratories have tested 1,211 samples of retail milk from across the country, with all samples returning negative results for HPAI. The breakdown of the testing is as follows:

• Atlantic provinces: 302 samples, all negative
• Ontario: 307 samples, all negative
• Quebec: 302 samples, all negative
• Western Provinces: 300 samples, all negative

As of April 2, 2025, CFIA has tested 2,954 samples of raw milk from processing plants nationwide, all of which were negative for HPAI. These samples, collected monthly, represent milk from approximately 1,500 dairy farms across Canada. The detailed results are:

• Atlantic provinces: 217 samples, all negative
• Ontario: 786 samples, all negative
• Quebec: 1,058 samples, all negative
• Western provinces: 893 samples, all negative

A study conducted by CFIA laboratories in May and June 2024 confirmed that pasteurization effectively inactivates the HPAI virus in milk, aligning with international research findings.

Currently, there are no confirmed cases of HPAI in cattle in Canada.