Outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease reported in S. Korea

SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has confirmed an outbreak of foot-and-mouth
disease at a dairy farm north of Seoul, the first such outbreak in eight years,
officials said Thursday.
Nine of some 185 milk cows at the farm in Pocheon, 46 kilometers north of Seoul
in Gyeoggi Province, have tested positive for the disease, the Ministry for Food,
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said.
Foot-and-mouth disease is highly contagious, affecting cattle, pigs, deer, goats
and sheep. The disease causes blisters on the mouth and feet of livestock and
leads to death. It is rarely transmitted to humans.
South Korea was hit by the disease in 2000 and 2002. In 2000, losses reached 300
billion won (US$319 million), while the 2002 outbreak cost 150 billion won.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
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