(4th LD) S. Korea to vaccinate livestock to cope with FMD spread

(ATTN: UPDATES with more details, comments throughout)
By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will vaccinate domestic livestock to stem
the latest outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) that has effectively spread
throughout the country, the country's farm minister said Wednesday.
Yoo Jeong-bok said in a news conference after a meeting of the livestock
quarantine consultation committee that Seoul plans to carry out limited "ring
vaccinations" of areas that could be exposed to the highly contagious animal
disease.
"The vaccinations will be carried out in the smallest possible area, with the
goal of ending the outbreaks as quickly as possible," he said, adding that the
rapid spread of the disease has made it necessary to take solid measures.
Ring vaccinations are the smallest type of countermeasures that can be taken,
with regional and nationwide measures being broader options that cover larger
areas.
The policymaker said the country currently has 300,000 vaccines in stock that
will be administered after veterinary experts hold another meeting to decide the
method, extent and other related details to immunizing animals. The expert
meeting is expected to work out the details as early as Thursday.
He said an additional 1.2 million doses will be imported by the end of the year,
and 2.5 million more doses will be brought in early next year. There are 13
million heads of cattle and pigs and 2 million goats, sheep and deer raised in
the country.
"Total import costs excluding personnel costs will total around 4.3 billion won,"
Yoo said.
He said each dose will cost the government about 6,000 won (US$5.2), with each
animal needing two shots to become protected.
Without going into details on what regions will be subject to the vaccinations,
he said each vaccination ring may be 10 kilometers in diameter.
Yoo stressed that even if vaccines are given, Seoul will strive to regain its
FMD-free status as soon as possible.
"Under internationally accepted rules, if there are no outbreaks of FMD after the
last case is found, Seoul can ask the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)
to grant it FMD-free status," he said.
The official said vaccines will be given in concert with detailed tests and the
culling of animals that come up positive for the disease.
If the latest outbreaks were dealt with without the use of vaccines, the request
for FMD-free status could be made in three months, although it usually takes
about a year for the global organization to grant its "all clear" status.
The minister also said vaccines will only be given to cattle because they spread
the disease much faster than pigs.
The decision to vaccinate livestock came as the latest outbreak, which was first
confirmed on Nov. 29, has spread through three provinces, forcing authorities to
destroy more than 224,000 animals. There have been 44 confirmed cases of FMD in
North Gyeongsang, Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces so far.
South Korea, which was hit by the disease in 2000, 2002 and two more times
earlier this year, used vaccines only once, during the 2000 outbreak after
containment efforts failed.
As a rule, countries resort to vaccinations as a last resort. Countries that have
the disease cannot ship meat products from cloven-hoofed animals abroad and may
be pressured to open their markets to other countries that have the disease.
Because of such concerns, most local livestock groups, such as the Korea Swine
Association and the Hanwoo Association, are opposed to the move.
"Concerns have been raised, but the government plans to take all possible
measures to alleviate concerns," the farm minister said.
The decision, meanwhile, came after local quarantine officials confirmed six new
cases of FMD earlier in the day, with two being discovered in northeastern
Gangwon Province, which previously had not been affected by the disease.
The outbreaks in Pyeongchang and Hwacheon, 182 kilometers and 118 kilometers east
of Seoul, respectively, are a clear sign that FMD has spread from Andong, North
Gyeongsang Province, to Gyeonggi, around the capital city, to the northeastern
part of the country and may have exceeded the government's ability to control the
disease without the use of drugs.
Pyeongchang is a popular ski resort town and is adjacent to Heongseong County,
which is one of the leading producers of premium beef in the country.
Besides the two outbreaks, the ministry said pig farms in Yeoncheon and Gimpo,
and two cattle farms in Pocheon, all in Gyeonggi Province around the capital
city, were hit by the highly contagious animal disease.
Four other suspected cases of FMD were reported at cattle farms in Chuncheon,
Wonju, Yangyang and Heongseong in Gangwon.
The ministry said all animals at the seven farms along with those within a
500-meter radius of the latest confirmed cases are to be culled to prevent the
further spread of the disease.
Animals at the suspected farms showed symptoms such excessive drooling and
blisters on their tongues and noses.
The highly contagious disease affects all cloven-hoofed animals and is classified
as a "List A" disease by the Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health.
The disease, however, does not affect humans, and animals seldom die from the
disease.
Official sources estimated that the cost of compensating animals alone topped 230
billion won and is likely to go up.
The OIE said around 40 countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America have
reported FMD outbreaks this year, with South Korea, Japan, China and Taiwan
confirming outbreaks in east Asia. Japan and Taiwan have taken steps to vaccinate
animals in the past after quarantine efforts failed to contain the animals
disease.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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