The Office of Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) reports there have been no new confirmed cases of the porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus in Manitoba.
To support ongoing surveillance efforts, Manitoba has taken the necessary steps to add PED to its list of reportable diseases. This will be effective in a matter of days and the veterinary profession will be advised of the effective date as soon as possible. Once it is listed as a reportable disease, producers and veterinarians will be required to report suspected cases of PED to the CVO, allowing for a faster response. This will also allow the CVO to use additional measures to monitor farms linked to positive premises.
As part of the response to the confirmed case announced last week, the CVO began sampling and testing on more than 45 farm premises that had contact with the infected farm. The majority of this testing is now complete and no new cases of PED have been found. This work is expected to be completed next week and will be followed by an investigation into how the virus may have arrived on the farm.
The affected producer continues to work closely with the Manitoba government and the Manitoba Pork Council (MPC) to contain the virus on the premises and all animal movement on and off the farm remains restricted. Infected animals on this farm have not shown severe symptoms linked to PED.
The rapid-detection monitoring program for facilities that move or handle large numbers of pigs continues.
There are now 23 farm premises that have tested positive for PED across Canada. Manitoba remains in regular contact with chief veterinary officers and other industry stakeholders across the country on this issue.
Producers are encouraged to continue with the necessary biosecurity protocols to prevent the spread of PED and report suspected cases to their veterinarian. The CVO will continue to work with the pork industry to help any affected producers eliminate the disease from their herds and prevent the disease from spreading. The MPC can provide resources and expertise in this area. Producers can contact the council at 1-888-893-7447 (toll-free) or online at www.manitobapork.com.
