May 31, 2006

Number of foot-and-mouth disease affected localities rises in Vietnam

40 Vietnamese localities have now been hit by the foot-and-mouth disease, a local animal health agency announced on Tuesday (May 30).

The outbreak first started in the southern Binh Duong province.

Last week, local veterinary agencies detected 34 bulls and 5 pigs in the province with the disease, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

21 out of 40 affected localities have declared foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks in their territories, the department said.

Vietnam is intensifying control over cattle transport and trade in affected areas, and is monitoring the disease and conducting vaccination of the healthy animals.

The disease has jumped to 462 communes in the 40 cities and provinces nationwide, hitting nearly 13,200 bulls and buffaloes, and about 2,100 pigs, the department said, noting that over 17,500 pigs and roughly 300 buffaloes and bulls have either died or been culled due to the outbreaks.