The first case of a deadly pig virus has been confirmed in Ontario.
Porcine epidemic diarrhea, or PED, does not affect humans. But it leads to dehydration and death for pigs, and piglets are at the highest risk for contracting the virus.
Ontario Pork, which represents 1,600 producers in the province, said in a tweet Thursday it was working with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food and next steps.
1st confirmed case of PED in Ontario announced. OP working with OMAF on next steps.
— Ontario Pork (@OntarioPork) January 23, 2014
The disease is rare in North America. But the Canadian Swine Health Board launched a national strategy to stop the spread of PED, after the virus was detected in the U.S. Midwest last May.
“The virus is an aggressive strain causing widespread watery diarrhea in all ages, leading to up to 100% mortality in nursing pigs,” according to CSHB.
Pig farmer and agricultural advocate Stewart Skinner was attending a pork seminar in Banff, Alta., on Thursday, where Ontario veterinarian Dr. Marty Miesner was discussing the latest confirmed case of PED in Ontario's Middlesex County.
According to Skinner's Twitter feed, Miesner said "rapid steps" were being taken to determine whether the virus had spread further before it was detected.
He said Miesner added that it's unclear how the pig contracted the virus, as that pig was part of a "closed herd" -- meaning pigs in that herd were prevented from contacting other pigs in order to prevent the spread of disease.
