The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) was notified on May 28th 2025 of a suspicion of avian paramyxovirus (APMV) in two squab pigeon farms with unusual mortality in British Columbia. The birds were initially submitted for histopathology to a network laboratory. Screening tests for APMV yielded a non-negative result.

The CFIA National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease has now confirmed that the virus was APMV-1. The APMV-1 virus has a multi basic amino acids sequence - 112RRQKR*F117 present at the fusion cleavage site motif which is consistent with virulent/velogenic Newcastle disease viruses. Based on fusion gene fragment that was sequenced, the virus genetically aligns with pigeon paramyxoviruses circulating in Eurasia.

The CFIA has immediately quarantined the infected farms and is implementing strict movement controls.