Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 15, 2001, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnie he Marci 2001 local As v the Footman Mouth crisis Manitoba on taking no chances by Paul Mckie Manitoba is on High Alert to Stop highly infectious foot and Mouth disease from entering the province and crippling the livestock everyone is on the Edge of their seat trying to keep this disease out of the con said Allan director of veterinary services for Manitoba Agri culture and countries from Australia to Latvia Fol Lowed tuesdays action by Canada and the United states and slapped bans on european Union meat and livestock yes new South Korea and Norway were the latest countries to announce bans on imports of livestock and meat products from the 15country after Footman Mouth disease was found tuesday among cattle in North Western Estonia and Latvia announced yesterday they Are Banning livestock products from Spain and Portugal shut their Borders to French meat or livestock earlier in the Preston said if people think theres a farm crisis now they should see what could happen if the disease that rav aging the United and now made its Way into the Canadian food inspection Agency warns that if Footman Mouth disease went undetected in its Early stages and the damage would be in the Bil Lions of dollars in the first year but detection and prevention is on everyone mind so that the european experience can be everybody sensitized and every body is on said anyone entering Manitoba from another country via Winnipeg International Airport is subject to High Canada customs and Revenue Agency spokeswoman Emilia Kotris said every one who arrives from a foreign based even the walks across a Spe Cial mat soaked with custom agents Are extra vigilant and look for any animal or meat products people might bring All such items Are confiscated and turned Over to the Cana Dian food inspection even if they Arent from the or were not taking any said Preston said agricultural producers tiny amount of virus can be devastating disease is highly portable by Paul Mckie Footman Mouth disease is highly infectious and portable and even a tiny amount of the virus can be the virus is part of the Picogna virus family and is considered extremely it Doest take Many viral particles to cause an said John a virologist with the Canadian science Centre for human and animal Pasick said studies have shown the virus could survive on a rubber Boot for two weeks and on other such As for As Long As 200 the virus can survive on inanimate objects for a fair period of and it Doest take a lot of the virus to get it said if the virus is protected by other organic such As dirt or exc re then it is viable even the virus prefers Neutral pm Levels of about seven and becomes inactive at extremes of the pm when the virus comes in Contact with an animal it reproduces itself pigs Are virtual infection said cattle show the most visible signs of the severe but sheep can be More of a problem because they Are equally infectious when they contract but they dont show outward signs of the disease As dramatically As when an animal contracts the virus the Best method to eradicate the disease is to euthanize the said animals can survive the disease but they then become carcasses Are buried or burned manure is often treated and then citric acid and washing soda Are effective in killing the the Canadian food and inspection Agency recommends dry cleaning for the clothing of people who have been on european while humans can carry the disease on their and even in their Footman Mouth disease is not consid ered a human health ban wont have much Impact Here a Canadian food inspection Agency ban on european meat and animal products wont have much of an Impact Here in the Agency announced the ban tues Day in response to the outbreak of foot an Mouth disease in the United kingdom and now Allan director of Veteri nary services for the said the ban would have minimal effect for one thing All beef products from the have been banned for 10 years because of mad cow the importation of live animals from Europe has been almost nonexistent for the last four or five said he said it could affect some importation of animal semen or on the retail specially stores we rent expecting too Many George of Stephen and said his understanding was that Only unpasteurized cheese would be a he said perhaps eight to 10 varieties of exotic cheese would be but Andrews said Many exotic cheeses Are pasteurized now and he did it anticipate too Many inconveniences for him or his Tony of Delucca specially also said Only some cheeses would be you Are invited to attend a Public meeting with the Manitoba liquor control commission Winnipeg March Grant Park liquor Mart education Grant Park shopping Centre Selkirk March Smitts restaurant flin flon March Victoria inn presentations begin at 7 question and answer sessions to follow Manitoba liquor control commission society lbs alcohols cant rely on Airport Security to Stop the disease from entering their he said producers have to step up bios ecu Rity at their own farm most Farmers have a real open House policy to said but that going to have to there going to have to ensure that visitors to the farm Are clean and have not visited a european farm Ted general manager of the Manitoba pork which represents hog said people Are concerned but Canadas hog producers Are very much in tune with disease devastating their said he said hog producers have been using High Bio Security to produce pork in Safe conditions for a Long Visi tors cant even go into a hog barn without putting on special Muir said the outbreak in the is now being linked to hog producers there who used swill to feed their a Canada pork International news release reported that Only 97 pig Farmers Are licensed in the to use or less than two per cent of pig yet that might be the source of the recent while Canada Hast had an outbreak of the disease since Preston said it Doest take Long for producers to get the message that the disease could destroy their you just have to turn on the to and watch the funeral pyres said file from Canadian press the Advance to if the Advance Money not i electronics eve interest f Lor one rear 12 equal payments or no payments no interest for 6 months everything in Home Mobile audio the Advance Spring sales event of wifi Home car stereos cordless phones accessories no Down payment my interest no administration fees Foo prepaid taxes delivery on site setup open to 9pm closed suite 704654 Oak Pine furniture i j Manitoba company in business since 1984 1308 Portage Avenue beside Advance parking at rear 7749726 i ;