Korea confirms first foot-and-mouth disease cases in 4 years

Social Affairs

Korea confirms first foot-and-mouth disease cases in 4 years

Published: 11 May. 2023, 09:52 Updated: 11 May. 2023, 10:37

A veterinarian vaccinates cows to prevent foot-and-mouth disease at a farm in the city of Yongin, Gyeonggi, on April 3. [YONHAP]

Korea has confirmed foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) cases at local farms for the first time in more than four years, the agriculture ministry said Thursday.

FMD is an acute infectious viral disease of livestock that causes fever after the development of vesicles chiefly in the mouth and on the feet. It is one of the most infectious diseases for livestock.

The FMD cases were found at two beef cattle farms both located in Cheongju, North Chungcheong, on Wednesday, which are raising some 360 cows combined, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

The country last reported FDM cases in January 2019.

The government on Thursday also confirmed an additional FMD case at another beef cattle farm in Cheongju, which raises 68 cows. It was some 1.9 kilometers (1.1 miles) away from the farms that reported initial disease cases, the ministry said.

All of the cattle at the farms will be culled to prevent the spread of the disease, which affects cloven-hoofed animals, including pigs and goats.

The ministry also issued a 48-hour standstill order on all animal farms and related facilities across the nation, and began intensive quarantine work in adjacent cities, according to the ministry.

Yonhap