Gov't to enhance quarantine efforts to stem outbreaks of livestock epidemics ahead of Lunar New Year holiday - The Korea Times

The Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters said Monday it will enhance measures to prevent outbreaks of livestock epidemics that could hurt the farming sector ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday that falls in mid-February. The agency said quarantine measures will be strengthened in areas where animal diseases, such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and African swine fever (ASF), were reported, and vaccinations will be also enhanced. Special preemptive quarantine inspections will be made as well across the nation. The measures came as the first case of FMD in nine months was confirmed at a cattle farm in Incheon last week. FMD is an acute infectious viral disease that causes illness in cows, pigs, goats and other cloven-hoofed animals. It does not affect humans. Also, the country confirmed its fourth case of ASF this year, prompting authorities to step up containment measures nationwide. So far, the country has confirmed some 40 cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza at poultry farms.