Simulation exercise: Foot and mouth disease in Canada 3

Dr Martine Dubuc, Vice-President of the Science Branch, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Ottawa, Canada, informed the OIE about a table-top and on-farm simulation exercise on foot and mouth disease (FMD) that took and will take place respectively in February and March 2014 in Canada.

The exercise, directed by the CFIA, is part of the implementation of an emergency preparedness programme for the control of foreign animal disease outbreaks.

Two training activities, within this programme, have been planned for the CFIA Specialized Response Force (CFIA-SRF):

•  the first activity consists of a table-top Incident Command Post drill. It took place in Ottawa, Ontario from 18 to 20 February 2014. It focused on tasks and procedures of the CFIA-SRF members for field epidemiology, evaluation and compensation, permits and movement control and vaccination;
•  the second activity consists of a foot and mouth disease on-farm drill which will take place on a swine farm in the province of Manitoba from 11 to 13 March 2014. It will focus on tasks and procedures of the CFIA-SRF members for surveillance and diagnostics, biocontainment, humane destruction, disposal and cleaning, and disinfecting. A small group of provincial and local industry partners will be invited to attend this drill.

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Animal Health Information Department
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
[email protected]