Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Cases Confirmed in Ontario

The Government of Canada today announced that the Great Lakes strain of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia has been detected in fish from Hamilton Harbour and the Thames River in Ontario. These two findings mark the first detections of the disease in 2007 in Canada. 

Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia is an infectious viral disease that can cause illness and death in fish, but does not affect human health. Fish were initially tested by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and the University of Guelph before Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia was confirmed by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

These findings fall within the Ontario ministry’s identified management zone for the disease. Therefore, no changes are planned to existing Ontario live fish movement controls implemented in early 2007. Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia has been detected in the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes basin since 2005.

Additional information about VHS is also available from the MNRF and DFO.