Avian influenza: Advice for travellers

Original publication date: January 17, 2019

Updated: November 13, 2025

Key points

• Avian influenza is a viral infection that can spread to and infect humans.
• Symptoms can range from none or mild, to severe or even fatal illness.
• Travellers should minimize exposure to wildlife and farm animals, especially birds, and avoid high-risk places like poultry farms and markets where live animals are sold or killed for food.
• While some antiviral medications can be used to treat avian influenza, there is no vaccine or medication to prevent it.

Current situation

• Human cases of avian influenza have been reported worldwide.
• Most human cases are linked to working with poultry or livestock.
• Cases not linked to workplace exposure have primarily been reported in China and Cambodia.
• The overall risk to travellers remains low.

Recommendations

Before you leave

• Talk to a health care provider or visit a travel health clinic, preferably about 6 weeks before your departure date, to get personalized health advice. Even if your travel date is coming up soon, it’s still worthwhile to make an appointment.
• Discuss with the health care provider:
  • Which pre-travel vaccines or medications may be right for you.
  • Whether your routine vaccinations are up-to-date. Many require a booster as an adult.
  • The medications you're currently taking or planning to bring with you.
• Sign up with the Registration of Canadians Abroad service to stay connected with the Government of Canada in case of an emergency abroad or an emergency at home.

Register as a Canadian Abroad

While you’re away

• Take steps to avoid contact with infected animals or contaminated areas:
  • Stay away from high-risk places like poultry farms and markets where live animals are sold or killed for food.
  • Avoid touching wild birds, farm birds, or backyard birds, whether they are alive or dead. This includes chickens, turkeys, and ducks.
  • Don’t handle wildlife (alive or dead).
  • Don’t handle farm animals, like cattle.
  • Stay clear of surfaces that might have bird droppings on them.
• Make sure all poultry and eggs are fully cooked before eating.
• Don’t drink raw milk or eat products made from it.
• Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol for 20 seconds or until dry.

Learn more:
Meat, poultry, fish and seafood safety
Clean your hands to help reduce the spread of infectious diseases
If you become sick or injured while travelling outside Canada or after your return

After your return

• If you begin to feel sick during your travel back to Canada, you should:
  • put on a well-fitting respirator or mask, if possible
  • limit contact with other people, if possible
  • inform the flight attendant, cruise staff and/or a border services officer as soon as possible. Upon arrival in Canada, you may be referred to a quarantine officer for a health assessment and further direction.
• If you begin to feel sick after you return to Canada, you should:
  • limit contact with other people
  • wear a mask if you develop a fever or respiratory symptoms
  • call a healthcare provider. Tell them:
    • your symptoms
    • where you’ve been travelling or living
    • if you had close contact with animals
    • if you had close contact with a sick person
• The health care provider may provide you with additional guidance to follow during your appointment.
• Antiviral medications can be used to treat avian influenza. It’s important that antiviral medications be taken as early as possible, ideally within 48 hours of starting to feel sick.

About avian influenza

• Avian influenza is a viral infection that spreads mainly among birds but can sometimes infect humans and other animals.
  • Some birds may get sick and die, while others can carry the virus without showing any signs of illness.
• There are different types of avian influenza, all caused by type A influenza viruses, like A(H5N1), A(H7N3), and A(H9N2).
• Although rare, avian influenza can spread to humans in several ways:
  • being close to infected birds or visiting live animal markets or poultry farms
  • touching things contaminated with the virus, like bird droppings or raw milk from farm animals
  • having close contact with farm animals (e.g., cattle), or mammals that eat wild birds (e.g., foxes)
  • through person-to-person contact. However, the chance of avian influenza spreading from person to person is still considered to be very low.
• In humans, avian influenza infections can cause a wide range of illnesses, from no symptoms or mild sickness, to serious or even deadly disease.
• The early symptoms of avian influenza are similar to seasonal influenza (flu):
  • cough
  • shortness of breath
  • fever
  • aching muscles
  • headache
• Other early symptoms may include:
  • diarrhea
  • runny nose
  • sore throat
  • fatigue
  • conjunctivitis (red eyes)
  • bleeding gums

Learn more:

Avian influenza