Pork producers in Manitoba could be facing another outbreak of a virus that has killed millions of pigs in the U.S.
The Manitoba Pork Council announced two new cases of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus (PEDv) at two locations in Manitoba.
The first case was found in a sow barn on May 26, and on Thursday, a second case was found in a finisher barn in southeastern Manitoba.
“Prior to this, Manitoba had a very good track record as far as keeping PEDv out of the province,” council Chairman George Matheson said in a video posted to the council’s website.
“We had only five cases, and they’re all negative at this time. It has in fact been 16 months since our last positive case,” Matheson said.
He said the producers are co-operating fully and getting proper care for the animals.
Access to the sites has been restricted and producers within a five-kilometre radius of the two sites have been notified, the council said. The sites will now undergo cleaning.
Matheson pointed out that the new cases coincide with lobbying efforts by the council to change federal regulations that require trailers returning from the U.S. to be washed there.
Matheson said Blumenort, Man. has a superior cleaning facility.
“Because we have far less of this virus in Canada, we feel it would be a safer place to clean these trailers,” he said.
The virus doesn’t pose a risk to humans or other animals, nor does it affect the safety of pork to eat, according to the CFIA.
