Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 5/2/14
 
The National Animal Health Laboratory Network reported that 204 tests for porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) proved positive out of 779 conducted at nine veterinary diagnostic labs in the week ended April 26, according to the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ latest update.

The latest data bring the number of confirmed cases to 6,226 since the virus was discovered in the United States in May 2013.

The number of states reported to the NAHLN as having at least one confirmed case of PEDv remains at 29. The AASV noted, however, that cases have also been diagnosed in Virginia, which would bring the actual state count to 30.

There is no firm data on how many hogs have been infected, as each case reported can represent anywhere from a single animal to an entire herd at a single site.

Paragon Economics President Steve Meyer has estimated as many as 7 million pigs have died from the virus.

The virus could push up U.S. hog prices by 15 percent to 25 percent and consumer prices for pork by 10 percent to 12 percent, Howard Hill, president of the National Pork Producers Council, told a congressional subcommittee last week.

Rabobank has predicted North American hog production and slaughter could decline by as much as 7 percent this year and could be 12.5 percent below 2013 levels through 2015.

USDA has instituted a monitoring and control program requiring producers to report to the department all herds diagnosed with PEDv.

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