New foot-and-mouth case confirmed at cattle farm in Gyeongbuk's Yecheon
In short
Gyeongbuk province has begun emergency quarantine measures after foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed at a hanwoo cattle farm in Yecheon county, where 10 of 98 cattle tested antigen-positive. The farm is 2.3 km from a Yecheon farm that had an outbreak on September 2, and the positive result came during surveillance carried out ahead of lifting the quarantine zone. The province has restricted movement at the farm, plans to cull the affected animals and is tightening surveillance of 148 livestock farms within a 3 km radius.
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Gyeongbuk province said it had begun emergency quarantine measures after foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed at a hanwoo cattle farm in Yecheon county, the second outbreak reported in the area in about a month. The central FMD countermeasure headquarters confirmed 10 antigen-positive cattle in a surveillance test on October 3 at the farm, which raises 98 head, the province said. The result came during surveillance carried out ahead of lifting the quarantine zone. [ 2 , 3 ]
The farm is 2.3 km from a Yecheon hanwoo farm where FMD broke out on September 2, according to the province. Chosun Ilbo reported the case is the ninth in Yecheon this year and came about a month after the previous outbreak. Kukmin Ilbo, Newsis and Hankook Ilbo also reported the additional case. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The province said it had imposed movement restrictions and access control at the farm and would cull the affected animals promptly. It is conducting clinical tests at the affected farm and has strengthened clinical surveillance of 148 cloven-hoofed livestock farms within the 3 km quarantine ring, which are also under movement restrictions. In the affected and adjacent cities and counties, 55 wide-area sprayers and available disinfection vehicles were mobilized for intensive disinfection and washing of farms, livestock vehicles and nearby roads. [ 2 , 3 ]
Park Chan-guk, head of the province's agriculture, livestock and distribution bureau, said the province would “do our best to prevent the spread of the virus” through emergency measures at the affected farm and stronger surveillance of cloven-hoofed livestock farms. Hankook Ilbo also quoted him asking farmers to vaccinate thoroughly against FMD and to follow basic quarantine rules, including disinfecting inside and outside their farms. [ 2 , 3 ]
Hankook Ilbo reported that FMD cases nationwide this year total 14 — nine in Yecheon, three in Incheon's Ganghwa and two in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. The documents do not state how the new infection occurred. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The new case delays the lifting of the quarantine zone set up around the earlier Yecheon outbreak and brings culling, movement restrictions and stronger surveillance to farms in the surrounding area. It is Yecheon's ninth case this year, according to Chosun Ilbo, pointing to continued spread in the county's cattle sector.
Key facts
- Gyeongbuk province said it began emergency quarantine measures after foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed at a hanwoo farm in Yecheon county. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The central FMD countermeasure headquarters confirmed 10 antigen-positive cattle in an October 3 test at a farm raising 98 head. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The farm is 2.3 km from a Yecheon hanwoo farm where FMD broke out on September 2, and the test was part of surveillance for lifting the quarantine zone. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The province imposed movement restrictions and access control at the farm and plans to cull the affected animals promptly. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Clinical surveillance was strengthened for 148 cloven-hoofed livestock farms within the 3 km quarantine ring, which also face movement restrictions. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Fifty-five wide-area sprayers and available disinfection vehicles were mobilized for intensive disinfection and washing of farms and livestock vehicles in the affected and adjacent cities and counties. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Yecheon has recorded nine FMD cases this year, with the new case coming about a month after the previous one, Chosun Ilbo reported. [ 3 , 5 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reported national FMD cases this year total 14: nine in Yecheon, three in Incheon's Ganghwa and two in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed at a hanwoo farm in Yecheon county, Gyeongbuk. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Ten of the 98 cattle at the affected farm were confirmed as outbreak animals. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The farm is 2.3 km from the Yecheon hanwoo farm where FMD broke out on September 2. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The province imposed emergency quarantine measures including movement restrictions and access control, and plans to cull the affected animals. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Surveillance was tightened for 148 cloven-hoofed livestock farms within the 3 km quarantine ring and 55 disinfection vehicles were deployed. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Yecheon has had nine FMD cases this year. [ 3 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- How the new infection occurred or how the virus reached the farm. The documents describe the confirmation and the response but give no cause or transmission route.
- The nationwide breakdown of 14 cases this year — nine in Yecheon, three in Ganghwa and two in Goyang. Only Hankook Ilbo gives this breakdown, so it is a single-source figure.
- Details beyond the headline of the Newsis report. The text carried under the Newsis headline concerns a separate DMZ mine incident, so no outbreak details from that document could be used.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- FMD breaks out at a Yecheon hanwoo farm; the newly affected farm is 2.3 km away. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The central FMD countermeasure headquarters confirms 10 antigen-positive cattle at a Yecheon farm raising 98 head, in a test conducted during surveillance to lift the quarantine zone. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Kukmin Ilbo reports another FMD case in Yecheon and a quarantine emergency. [ 1 ]
- Gyeongbuk province says it has begun emergency quarantine measures, with the provincial agriculture bureau chief quoted. [ 2 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reports the culling plan, the 148 farms under surveillance and the national tally of 14 cases this year. [ 3 ]
- Chosun Ilbo reports the case is Yecheon's ninth this year, about a month after the previous outbreak. [ 5 ]