The Manager of the Canada West Swine Health Intelligence Network is calling for caution and stepped-up adherence to biosecurity as restrictions in place to prevent the spread of COVID are eased. The Canada West Swine Health Intelligence Network has released its swine disease surveillance reports for the second quarter of 2021.
CWSHIN Manager Dr. Jette Christensen says the health situation for the region has been generally good, as it has for the past couple of quarters.
Clip-Dr. Jette Christensen-Canada West Swine Health Intelligence Network:
As we proceed with more and more freedom again, we might expect that people would start to travel more. People will travel between provinces and maybe even get outside the country again and that may impact the risk of introduction of new diseases to the swine herds as people move around a little bit more and have more opportunity to bring in diseases again so that's a factor we need to look out for.
We have also heard that influenza in people, has been very quiet over the last year, possible due to the COVID restrictions. Less people have had an opportunity to get infected with flu but already now we get reports that the pandemic flu in people is starting to rise again.
That means that, as people move around more, there's more opportunity that the flu will come back in people and that again puts pressure on the swine producers. The barns need to be careful that they don't bring flu into the farms from people.
Source : Farmscape