February 23, 2011

South Korea's FMD situation shows signs of easing

South Korea may have indicated that the worst of its foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) crisis is over as more than 3,000 animals were culled on Monday (Feb 21) in the attempts to control the spread.

The severe FMD epidemic that started in South Korea at the end of November last year appears to show signs of mitigating, local reports said yesterday (Feb 22), citing the country's Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

A Chinese source reports that the ministry said a total of 3,395,021 animals - mostly pigs and cattle - had been culled as of Monday (Feb 21) to prevent the spread of the disease, but that day saw the culling of just 3,079 animals.

Monday's figure stood at approximately one-eighth of the average 25,000 animals culled a day in early February. It is reported that improvement could be attributed to the second round of vaccination that will be completed by the end of this month.

"We're cautiously predicting that foot-and-mouth disease would be under control by early next month after the second round of vaccinations is completed this month," Agricultural Minister, Yoo Jeong-bok, was cited as saying.