Goyang on High Alert After Foot-and-Mouth Confirmed at Korean Beef Farm...133 Cattle Culled and Emergency Standstill

Goyang City Launches All-Out Response with 24-Hour Standstill Order and Thorough Quarantine
Movement Control Post Set Up, Emergency Quarantine and Vaccinations Strengthened to Prevent Spread
Mayor Lee: "We Will Focus Our Capabilities on Minimizing Damage Through Thorough Quarantine"

Following Incheon Ganghwa County, a suspected case of foot-and-mouth disease has been reported in Goyang Special City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Lee Donghwan), prompting the quarantine authorities to issue a 24-hour emergency standstill order and implement disease control measures.

Lee Donghwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City, is visiting a farm affected by foot-and-mouth disease to direct disease control efforts. Photo by Goyang City

At 10:30 a.m. on the 19th, a report of suspected symptoms such as loss of appetite, drooling, and scabs on the nose was received from a Korean beef cattle farm in Goyang City, and at around 10:30 p.m. the Gyeonggi-do Animal Hygiene Laboratory issued a first positive test result for foot-and-mouth disease.

In response, the quarantine authorities issued an emergency 24-hour standstill order from 9:00 a.m. on the 20th to 9:00 a.m. on the 21st for Goyang, Paju, Yangju, Gimpo, and Seoul. The order applies to cloven-hoofed livestock (cattle, pigs, and goats), livestock farms, and livestock vehicles.

On the 20th, Goyang City received notification from Gyeonggi Province to carry out culling measures and plans to cull 133 head of Korean beef cattle raised at the affected farm. The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency will conduct an epidemiological investigation of the farm.

Goyang City has set up an emergency movement control post near the farm and deployed seven disinfection vehicles to carry out emergency quarantine measures at the affected farm and within a 3-kilometer radius. In addition, six commissioned veterinarians are visiting cloven-hoofed livestock farms to conduct emergency vaccinations and clinical surveillance, and the city plans to strengthen measures to prevent the spread of the disease, including daily disinfection rounds at cloven-hoofed livestock farms and applying quicklime to access roads.

Lee Donghwan, mayor of Goyang Special City, is directing quarantine activities at a farm affected by foot-and-mouth disease. Provided by Goyang City

On the 20th, Lee Donghwan, Mayor of Goyang Special City, visited the farm where foot-and-mouth disease occurred to inspect the status of the quarantine measures and emphasized an active response. Mayor Lee said, "We will swiftly and thoroughly concentrate our quarantine capabilities to minimize damage to farms and prevent additional outbreaks caused by foot-and-mouth disease," adding, "We ask for the active cooperation of citizens in complying with quarantine guidelines, such as refraining from visiting livestock farms."