(LEAD) Gov't urges S. Koreans abroad to stay away from farms, bird sanctuaries

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details in paras 4, 7, 9; ADDS new information comments in
paras 8, 10-13)
SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Yonhap) -- The government on Wednesday urged South Koreans
traveling abroad not to visit farms or bird sanctuaries in an effort to prevent
further outbreaks of livestock diseases in the country.

The farm ministry said a recent outbreak of foot-and-mount (FMD) disease in
Beijing and bird flu cases in Vietnam and other parts of Southeast Asia has
raised the possibility of such diseases entering the country via returning
travelers or foreign visitors.
"People should refrain from visiting farms or coming into contact with animals
during overseas trips, and they must not bring back meat products," a press
release said.
It added that those who traveled abroad should stay away from local farms for at
least for 72 hours after arrival.
The announcement comes as South Korea is trying to contain the FMD outbreak that
was first confirmed on Jan. 7. The outbreak, which is the first to hit the
country in eight years, has forced quarantine offices to cull and bury 5,960
cows, pigs, deers and goats this year.
In addition, officials said that reported cases of avian influenza in Southeast
Asia are raising concerns that the flu may hit South Korea again. The country has
been hit by bird flu three times, with the latest outbreak occurring in April of
2008 and resulting in a record 8.46 million birds being culled at the cost of
around 264 billion won (US$228 million).
The ministry, meanwhile, said that while the last reported FMD case occurred on
Jan. 29, it is too early for the country to lower its guard and asked farmers to
regularly decontaminate animals and their farms.
Under current standard operating rules, quarantine authorities will lift movement
ban and sale of livestock if no FMD outbreak has occurred in a region for the
past three weeks. Seoul started lifted some of in movement restriction as of
Tuesday.
Authorities, meanwhile, said the rise in temperatures and the start of the spring
seed planting season has raised the possibility of the animal disease spreading
again.
"The government wants to thoroughly decontaminate farms and surrounding areas by
May and is asking farmers to cooperate in the effort," said Lee Sang-soo, head of
the ministry's animal health division.
He added that while the number of animals culled reached record levels this year,
the overall damage has been contained in just two regions north of Seoul,
reducing costs associated with culling and decontamination.
"The exact size of the damage incurred by the outbreak is being tallied, although
it may not be as high as some have predicted,' he said.
When South Korea was hit twice before by FMD in 2000 and 2002, losses reached
300.6 billion won and 143.4 billion won, respectively.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)

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