Monday, August 27, 2012

CNE posts pig-contact warning


Under guidance from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Canadian National Exhibition has posted signs warning the public to avoid contact with pigs.

It’s not the first time the CFIA and CNE have posted warnings, but this time there have been no Canadian pigs identified with avian influenza and it appears the caution is related to cases in the United States.

The Centres for Disease Control says 276 human infections have been identified there, most of them young children who had contact with pigs at fall fairs.

It has also recently reported two cases of swine flu passing from person to person.

The CNE introduced biosecurity precautions prior to this year, including a pexiglass barrier to keep the public away from pigs. In that case, the concern was that diseases might spread from people to pigs.