B.C. musters help in avian flu fight

The government of British Columbia admits it may have initially underestimated the challenge of coping with an outbreak of avian flu, but it's confident the disease can be contained.

"We haven't declared a state of emergency," said B.C. Solicitor General Rich Coleman, who doubts the province will need to take that step because it already has enough resources in place.

Extra equipment and crews are already in place to help kill and dispose of infected poultry, said Coleman, the minister responsible for the Provincial Emergency Program.

"We have so much co-operation from all the jurisdictions and from the farming community and from industry today that I'm not of the mind that I need to declare a state of emergency," he said.

"With the ability to add more resources, particularly bringing in equipment and things we need, we'll be ahead of this curve pretty quickly."

On Friday, Premier Gordon Campbell said that he's contacted Prime Minister Paul Martin to ensure that all governments work together to keep bird flu from spreading in B.C.

"Resources should be in place to deal with any scenario that may arise," Campbell said in a statement.

"We [Martin and Campbell] agree that resources and ongoing co-operation between all levels of government are essential to eradicate avian influenza as quickly as is possible."

• FROM APRIL 15, 2004: B.C. minister says avian flu 'not under control'

During the past two months, avian flu has turned up on at least 29 commercial poultry farms in about 10 backyard operations in the Fraser Valley and B.C.'s Lower Mainland, as far west as the Vancouver suburb of Surrey.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has started slaughtering 19 million birds on about 700 commercial farms in the region. Poultry from disease-free flocks can be sold and eaten.