Porcine
Epidemic Diarrhea virus has jumped the Red River to infect a hog
operation in the Altona-Gfretna region.
That
increases infection zones to nine since the highly-infectious and
deadly disease blossomed in Southern Manitoba this summer.
It’s
unusual because the virus survives better in cold that warm weather.
Dr.
Glen Duizer of Manitoba’s Chief Veterinary Office (CVO) said the
barn was exposed after a shipment of pigs from a farm that was later
confirmed PEDv positive. The shipped animals later tested positive
for the virus.
“It’s
very unfortunate,” Manitoba Pork general manager Andrew Dickson
said. “This happens. You can test and test.”
Remedial
measures are underway; operations within five kilometres have been
notified and the site has been locked down, Dickson said.
Quarantine
zones had been mostly in the Steinbach area, near Niverville, St.
Pierre-Jolys, and near the U.S.-Canada border south of Steinbach.
