Ontario has confirmed a second case of porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) and a third is under investigation. Both are in the Chatham-Kent region.
PED is usually fatal for very young pigs while older pigs can recover. The virus does not affect food safety, nor is it a risk to human health or other animals. Pork remains a safe choice for consumers to eat.
After PED began circulating in the U.S. last year, the province and the pork industry worked together to implement extensive education programs to increase awareness of the disease and promote biosecurity protocols. Since the virus is highly contagious, its presence in Canada is not unexpected and more cases are expected in the coming days and weeks.
The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) continues to work 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. Under Ontario's Animal Health Act, 2009, veterinarians are required to immediately report any findings that identify a serious risk to animal health.
Source: OMAFRA