Two New H1N1 Flu Incidents in Northern Ireland

NORTHERN IRELAND, UK - The veterinary authorities have reported two new incidents of influenza A H1N1 in pigs to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

29 September 2009

3 minute read

Europe

The UK veterinary authority sent Follow up Report No. 1 dated 25 September to OIE.

It reports two new incidents of H1N1 influenza, one with clinical symptoms and one with a positive test but no symptoms.

Th first case started on 18 August at Cookstown in County Tyrone. Of 2,900 pigs on the farm, 1,950 were affected and 30 animals died. The farm has a birth-to-bacon unit with all pigs kept on the one premises. A total of 340 sows, with approximately 2,900 pigs in total. The first sign was coughing, which appeared in 10- to 15-week-old weaned pigs about one month before the report with some deaths (two to three per cent). Coughing started in fattener pigs about two weeks later but they are now reported to be almost back to normal. No pigs had been brought onto the farm since 8 July 2009.

The second outbreak was at Bellaghy in County Londonderry. Of a herd of 145 pigs, four were affected. In early September, 90 gilts and 55 boars from the same premises were moved to the current farm in this report for isolation. Gilts and boars were housed separately in different buildings. All animals were pre-export tested. On 22 September, four gilts gave positive test results but the remaining animals were negative. None of the pigs in isolation has shown any clinical signs.