Canada investigates finding of IHN virus in aquaculture facility
While IHN does not affect human health or food safety, it poses risks to aquatic animal health and t…While IHN does not affect human health or food safety, it poses risks to aquatic animal health and the economy.
The CFIA has placed a quarantine on the facility and samples are being taken for further testing. Confirmatory testing on the samples is being conducted at the National Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory. The results are expected within weeks.
According to the agency, the virus is known to exist in the waters of British Columbia. The last confirmed case of IHN in farmed salmon was in 2003.
This finding was reported to the CFIA following testing by provincial laboratory.
The CFIA noted that it will be conducting surveillance for this disease as well as infectious salmon anemia and infectious pancreatic necrosis, as part of its surveillance initiative which is underway, in order to get a comprehensive picture of the health status of salmon in British Columbia.