"Stop Foot-and-Mouth Disease" ... Hapcheon-gun, Full Effort in Foot-and-Mouth Disease Prevention and Control

Proactive Measures Such as Livestock Vehicle Control and Disinfection

Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongnam Province, announced on the 16th that it is making every effort to block the entry of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) into Hapcheon-gun by taking preemptive quarantine measures following the recent consecutive outbreaks of FMD at six Korean cattle farms in Cheongju City and Jeungpyeong-gun, Chungbuk Province.

To prevent infectious diseases, the county issued a standstill order for 84 hours from the 11th to 12:00 PM on the 14th, temporarily halting the movement of bovine farms and livestock vehicles.

Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongnam is focusing on disinfecting roads around cattle farms and vulnerable farms.

Focusing on two key disinfection facilities within the jurisdiction (Yulgok-myeon and Yaro-myeon), preemptive quarantine measures were strengthened, including controlling livestock vehicles and issuing disinfection certificates for temporary movement approval.

Additionally, on the 12th, an emergency MMS message was sent to about 1,500 Korean cattle farms within the jurisdiction to check for FMD symptoms, followed by telephone surveillance. Using the joint quarantine team (12 squads), roads around cattle farms and vulnerable farms were intensively disinfected.

Earlier, from April 1st, the county mobilized 11 public veterinarians to complete the ‘first half of the year FMD mass vaccination’ for 1,525 farms with 39,740 cattle and 133 farms with about 2,000 goats.

By June 12th, farms that have completed FMD vaccination will be selected for clinical observation and FMD antibody testing.

Kim Yong-jun, Director of the Livestock Division, said, “To block the entry of FMD, we ask farm owners and livestock-related workers in the jurisdiction to refrain from gatherings and strictly control and disinfect the access of outsiders and vehicles.” He added, “Please strengthen farm surveillance and immediately report to the Livestock Division if any cloven-hoofed animals (cattle, pigs, goats) show signs of FMD such as excessive salivation, blisters around the mouth and hooves, or fever.”