Two more FMD outbreaks reported in South Korea

South Korea on Sunday reported two more foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks as the high contagious appears to be spreading faster in the country.

According to Seoul's Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the two newest outbreaks were detected in a pig farm and a cattle farm respectively in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province.

The ministry said it ordered to cull all animals in the two farms along with animals on other farms within a 500-meter radius in a bid to prevent further spread of the disease.

With the latest two cases, a total of 53 FMD cases have been reported in the country, and more than 424,000 animals have been ordered to be destroyed since the outbreak of the disease was first reported on Nov. 29.

To prevent further spread of the contagion, South Korea on Saturday began to vaccinate animals in five areas. Meanwhile, the country also decided to expand the use of vaccines to three counties in the southeastern part of Gyeonggi Province.

The FMD is a highly contagious and sometimes fatal disease that can affect cloven-hoofed animals including pigs, sheep and goats, while humans are hardly affected by the virus.

South Korea, which reported its first case of foot-and-mouth disease in 2000, was hit again in 2002 and two more times earlier this year.

Source: Xinhua