MALF: Notifiable Pig Disease Detected In South Trinidad Poses No Threat To Food Safety Or Human Life

The Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (MALF) is informing the public about the recent detection of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) at a pig farm in South Trinidad. In a media release, PRRS, also known as blue ear disease, is a serious condition affecting domestic pigs, characterised by reproductive failure, pneumonia, and increased susceptibility to secondary bacterial infections. The Ministry added that it is important to note that PRRS is not a zoonotic disease and poses no threat to food safety and human health, and that local pork remains safe for human consumption. Further, PRRS is classified as a notifiable disease under the Animal Diseases Act, Schedule 1, and is primarily transmitted through the movement of infected animals. The Ministry added that will continue to advise on this situation as it progresses.