S. Korea confirms 1st foot-and-mouth disease case in almost 2 years

Seoul: South Korea has confirmed a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) case at a local cattle farm, marking its first outbreak of the animal disease in nearly two years, the agriculture ministry said on Friday.

The FMD case was found at a beef cattle farm in Yeongam, about 300 kilometres south of Seoul, which has some 180 cows, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Yonhap news agency reported.

The country last reported FMD cases in May 2023.

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

The ministry also issued a standstill order on all animal farms and related facilities across the nation until 8 a.m. on Sunday, and began intensive quarantine work in Yeongam and adjacent cities, according to the ministry.

Acting President Choi Sang-mok has directed relevant ministries to implement thorough preventive measures to contain the outbreak at an early stage.

“The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs must closely cooperate with relevant agencies to swiftly carry out emergency actions, including rapid culling, entry controls, testing and disinfection, in accordance with the emergency response guidelines,” Choi said.

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.

Earlier in January, South Korea placed an import ban on German pork following an outbreak of the highly contagious FMD disease in the European nation, Yonhap reported.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said the decision was made after Germany reported its first FMD case since 1988.

FMD is one of the most infectious diseases for cloven-hoofed animals, such as cattle and pigs, and can spread rapidly if uncontrolled.

–IANS