Nearly 5 million chickens killed due to avian flu in B.C.

Poultry farmers in British Columbia's Fraser Valley are reporting ``extremely high'' levels of stress as the latest avian flu outbreak puts millions of commercial birds at risk.

Amanda Brittain with the BC Poultry Association says farmers are taking extra precautions, including disinfecting any vehicles travelling to and from their properties and wearing personal protective gear. She says farmers are isolating themselves from each other to avoid spreading the virus and resorting to online platforms to discuss how to handle the outbreak.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says there have been 39 infected commercial and backyard flocks in BC since October 20th, as wild birds migrate south over the farms, spreading the disease. The agency says about five million birds have been affected this fall, meaning they've died or been culled. Agriculture Minister Pam Alexis says the BC government has been working with farmers and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on preventing further infections, and added a $5 million program this spring to help improve biosecurity at farms.

Provincial health officer Bonnie Henry has urged poultry workers to get their flu shots, since there's concern that a rare human infection could cause the virus to mutate into something more contagious among people.