A suspected outbreak of infectious salmon anemia (ISA) is being monitored at a site run by Salmar and Refsnes Laks in Trondelag in central Norway, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority said on Wednesday.
The alarm was raised on August 25, based on the results of PCR analyses after fish were sampled at the site.
Officials from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority are planning an urgent inspection of the facility, aiming to gather further samples, according to a statement from the agency.
ISA is a viral disease of Atlantic salmon that can result in serious economic losses in the salmon farming industry.
The virus can cause severe anemia in salmon due to the bursting of red blood cells. Clinical signs in infected fish can include lethargy, swimming close to the water surface or the sides of cages, pale gills, swollen abdomen, and sometimes, internal and external hemorrhaging.
The disease is a concern for aquaculture operations because of its potential to cause high mortality rates and its impact on fish health and farm productivity.
