December 16, 2010

South Korea's Seoul confirms more FMD cases

South Korea reported two new FMD cases at pig farms north of Seoul on Wednesday (Dec 15), fuelling worries over a nationwide spread of the disease.

The first reported case was in a city located hundreds of kilometres south of the capital. According to the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the additional cases were confirmed at farms in Yangju and Yeoncheon.

"The farms have about 1,200 pigs each and are owned by the same farmer," the ministry said.

The outbreak of the animal disease was first reported on November 29 at two pig farms in Andong, a city located 270 kilometres southeast of Seoul.

The cases in Yangju and Yeoncheon, both north of Seoul, mark the first cases of the disease outside of North Gyeongsang Province.

Three suspected cases were also reported Wednesday (Dec 15) at two pig farms in Yeoncheon and at a farm in Paju, also north of Seoul, the ministry said.

So far, 48 suspected cases have been reported, 34 of which have been confirmed positive. Four other cases have tested positive among cattle destroyed before test results came in.

The government is further stepping up its quarantine efforts, already having destroyed nearly 98% of more than 152,000 animals subject to culling, according to the ministry.

South Korea stayed clear of the animal disease from 2002 until the beginning of this year. The disease affects all cloven-hoofed animals, including cows, sheep and deer. Countries affected by the disease are barred from exporting meat from animals with cloven hoofs though the disease does not affect humans.