South Korea confirmed one more case of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) on Tuesday as quarantine authorities pushed ahead with the second phase of nationwide vaccination of pigs and cattle.
The case, at a pig farm that raised 2,000 animals in Daejeon, brings the total number of officially confirmed FMD outbreaks since late November to 147, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said.
It is also the first confirmed case in the city, located 160 kilometers south of Seoul in the central part of the country.
"All animals showing FMD symptoms will be culled and buried, with nearby farms to be checked for sick animals," a ministry official said.
The latest outbreak comes after all 13 million heads of cattle and pigs in the country were inoculated as of late January, but not all have been given a second vaccine shot that can enhance resistance to the virus. Authorities plan to complete the second round of vaccinations on local livestock by the end of the month, which could help stem further outbreaks.
Since the first FMD outbreak was detected, Seoul has destroyed more than 3.33 million heads of cattle, pigs, goats, sheep and deer. Losses are estimated at more than 2 trillion won (US$1.7 billion).