H1N1 found in Canadian breeding turkeys

TORONTO, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- A flock of breeding turkeys in Canada were infected with the H1N1 flu virus by a poultry handler, Ontario health officials said.

At a Toronto news conference, Dr. Arlene King, the province's chief medical officer of health, downplayed any risk to the food chain Tuesday, the Toronto Sun reported Wednesday.

She said tests had confirmed an infected worker had spread the virus to the birds and renewed her call for all people who work with livestock to get flu inoculations as soon as possible.

King didn't identify the facility, but the Sun said the Turkey Farmers of Canada Web site identified the operation as Hybrid Turkeys, which is northwest of Toronto in Kitchener.

Hybrid's Web site said it was Canada's only primary turkey breeder with about 3,500 birds at the facility. The company issued a statement Tuesday night saying it had isolated the affected flock and the birds were expected to recover fully.

The facility supplies farmers with eggs but does not sell turkeys for food, the report said.

Earlier this year, the H1N1 strain originally called swine flu was found in pigs on an Alberta farm.