Source: Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE, 5/28/14
 
The National Animal Health Laboratory Network reported that 187 tests for porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv) proved positive out of 825 conducted at seven veterinary diagnostic labs in the week ended May 17, according to the American Association of Swine Veterinarians’ latest update.

The latest data bring the number of confirmed cases to 6,804 since the virus was discovered in the United States in May 2013, but weekly case numbers have been on the decline.

The number of positive tests in the week ended May 10 was 189, which, according to livestock analysts Steve Meyer and Len Steiner, was the lowest since the week ended January 11. The peak weekly number was 315 during the week of February 22, they noted in their Daily Livestock Report.

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.

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, recently told a congressional subcommittee.

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