With a number of new cases of the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea virus being confirmed in southeast Manitoba each week, Manitoba Pork is taking steps to address the situation.

As of Wednesday morning, there were nine new cases confirmed so far in the month of May.

General Manager Andrew Dickson says they are setting up a disease management area that will test inside barns, in addition to the surrounding area.

He notes investigations are ongoing as to how the disease is spreading.

"What's becoming apparent is that there's probably a number of different way this is getting into barns," said Dickson. "Somehow it's being walked in, but by who and what mechanism is still a bit unclear. It's all very well having a plan, you've got to follow it out meticulously everyday."

While the disease has been contained to a smaller region at this point, Dickson says producers across the Prairies are becoming concerned that it may spread.

"Alberta and Saskatchewan, and producers in western Manitoba, are very worried about the potential for this disease to move out of southeast Manitoba to the rest of the province. A lot of these barn operations have customers or own operations in other parts of western Canada and there are transportation links between these various facilities."

Producers are being encouraged to participate in a teleconference Friday morning starting at 10am, that will provide an update on the situation.