The Rural Voice, 1983-10, Page 25FARM NEWS
Ag. Canada Team ready for disease outbreaks
Hours after the recent outbreak in
Saskatchewan of anaplasmosis, an
infectious blood disease that attacks
cattle and sheep, federal veterinarians
were on the scene attempting to bring
the situation under control.
However, their rapid and efficient
response was not as easy as it
appeared. Instead, it was the result of
years of highly -efficient training and
organization.
As part of Agriculture Canada's
Food Production and Inspection
Branch, emergency response teams
are on the alert in every region should
a major disease outbreak occur.
In the anaplasmosis outbreak, a
regional alert team was in the area
within hours after it was detected.
The team then set out to trace all
cattle sales from the infected area for
possible signs of the disease or losses
that it may have caused.
Blood samples were taken and sent
to the department's Animal Diseases
Research Institute in Ottawa to be
analysed.
Within days, the extent of the
problem was becoming known and
the correct eradication procedures
were underway.
"We knew how to respond in
Saskatchewan partly because of a
simulated `paper' practice we con-
ducted earlier in Atlantic Canada,"
explains Dale Duplessis, regional
veterinary director for Atlantic
Canada.
"A realistic disease control centre
was set up and the professional and
technical staff was put through every
possible problem that could arise,"
Dr. Duplessis says.
Although the exercise was directed
by Dr. Duplessis and Agriculture
Canada, there were many others
involved from both the provincial and
federal governments.
"Members of the RCMP, the
Canadian army, Emergency Planning
Canada, the New Brunswick Depart-
ments of Agriculture and Rural
Development and Natural Resources,
along with other groups all played
important roles in the exercise," Dr.
Duplessis says.
Twenty-four federal officials dir-
ected, on paper, more than 400
people involved in enforcing quaran-
tines, appraising infected cattle, des-
troying and disposing of carcasses,
cleaning and disinfecting farms and
manning roadblocks to prevent un-
wary travelers from spreading the
disease.
"Every possible angle was covered
during the exercise with an emphasis
on proper communications and good
public relations," Dr. Duplessis says.
"This simulated exercise showed us
that stopping potentially serious dis-
eases from getting a foothold in
Canada requires the co-operation,
not only of the federal and provincial
governments, but of every farmer
too. ❑
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THE RURAL VOICE, OCTOBER 1983 PG. 23