Foot-and-mouth disease has jumped to 36 cities and provinces across Vietnam, hitting some 36,500 pigs, bulls and buffaloes, Vietnam News Agency reported Tuesday.

The disease has infected 26,000 bulls and buffaloes, and 10,500 pigs in 433 communes, the agency quoted the Department of Animal Health under the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The spread is partly due to cross-border smuggling of cattle, some of which contract the disease, and transport of animals, especially unvaccinated ones, among localities, the department's vice head Dau Ngoc Hao said, noting that the disease occurs every 3-5 years.

Localities nationwide are intensifying control over cattle transport and trade in affected areas, offering financial assistance, ranging from 0.2-1 million Vietnamese dong (12.6-62.9 U.S. dollars), to raisers for each cattle culled, and vaccinating healthy animals, mainly bulls, cows and pigs.

Last week, major local newspapers reported outbreaks of foot- and-mouth disease in 17 cities and provinces, including Bac Can, Yen Bai, Hoa Binh, Thai Nguyen and Hanoi in the northern region, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Phu Yen, Binh Dinh and Khanh Hoa in the central region, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Lam Dong and Dac Lac in the central highlands region, and Tra Vinh, Soc Trang and Vinh Long in the southern region.

Source: Xinhua