Manitoba Pork says there are now 73 confirmed cases of the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) virus in the province this year.

A number of new cases were discovered in southeast Manitoba over the past week. Recently infected premises (IPs) #67 to #73 include one sow site, three nursery sites and three finisher sites.

Unfortunately, IP #68, a sow farm, and IP #73, a nursery site, are both new infections and pose an increased risk to neighbouring farms. The other five sites appear to be a recurrence of shedding from pigs that came from previously infected sites.

On a positive note, 26 previously infected premises have achieved PED Transitional status, meaning that all the animals on the site are no longer clinically sick and, as well, certain groups of animals on the site are no longer shedding the virus. On sow farms, it also means that the site is able to wean PED negative piglets.

Manitoba Pork General Manager Andrew Dickson says there are no new buffer zones outside of southeast Manitoba, and the clean up effort continues on the two barns that were infected west of the Red River.