KINGSTON, Jamaica, Sept. 30, 2014 – A virus which has been blamed for the death of more than seven million pigs in the United States is being closely watch by pig industry stakeholders here.
The Jamaica Pig Farmers Association (JPFA) said the virus, first diagnosed in the United States last year, could severely damage the local industry and it has urged farmers not to dismiss it lightly. The Dominican Republic and Mexico are also reporting cases of the virus.
JPFA president Delroy Manya said his organisation has been holding several meetings with the Veterinary Services Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and updating members on the virus.
He said the Veterinary Services Division has made presentations on the various bio-security measures that pig farmers must implement to prevent the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus (PEDv) from spreading to Jamaica.
