An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has been confirmed Thursday at a pig farm located some 100 kilometers south of Seoul, the South Korean agriculture ministry said.
The confirmation came one day after the farm in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, reported a suspected case of the animal disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including cows and sheep, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
The latest outbreak comes nearly four months after the last confirmed case was reported at a pig farm in Hapcheon, located some 350 kilometers south of Seoul in South Gyeongsang Province, on Aug. 6.
The ministry, however, noted the possibility of the animal disease spreading was slim as all farms here are currently required to vaccinate their cows and pigs against Type O FMD found at the farm in Jincheon.
South Korea had regained the status of a country free of FMD through vaccination in May. The country has since reported two other FMD outbreaks — both in North Gyeongsang Province and in July.
All about 30 pigs that are showing symptoms of FMD at the Jincheon farm have been culled with the rest of the livestock there — about 15,800 pigs — subject to quarantine, the ministry said.
The ministry said the animal disease does not affect humans, and that the virus is easily destroyed when exposed to moderate heat of over 50 degrees Celsius.
