Canada: Ontario confirms second case of PED
Ontario has confirmed a second case of porcine epidemic diarrhoea (PED) and a third is under investigation. Both are in the Chatham-Kent region.
The first case of the virus was discovered last week in a farm in Middlesex County, where nearly 100% of the piglets between two and five days old have died. The other two farms have older pigs, which are less likely to die from the disease. The source of the outbreaks are still unknown.
The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) says it is working closely with the affected producers, the pork industry, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to deal with this new challenge and ensure mitigation strategies are implemented. Short- and long-term actions that involve all parts of the industry are being undertaken to stop the spread of the virus.
All those involved in the swine industry are encouraged to maintain strict biosecurity protocols and contact a veterinarian immediately if they see animals showing signs of illness.
After circulating widely in Europe and Asia, the virus was first seen in the US in April 2013 and is now known to be in at least 23 states. It is a highly contagious virus thus its presence in Canada is not unexpected and more cases are expected in the coming days and weeks
PED is usually fatal for very young pigs while older pigs can recover. However, it is not a risk to human health or food safety.
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