China confirmed on Monday the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease
in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and east China's
Jiangsu Province.
Two heads of cattle raised by a farmer in Xuanhe Town, Zhongwei
City showed symptoms of gum cankering and tongue blistering on
January 4, with one dying the next day, the Ministry of Agriculture
announced on their website on Monday.
Initial tests by the region's veterinary authorities suggest a
possible Asia I strain of foot-and-mouth disease. The National
Foot-and-Mouth Disease Lab confirmed the case on January 14, the
ministry said.
Eighty-nine heads of cattle and 110 sheep have been culled in
the vicinity to contain the spread of the disease, according to the
ministry.
In a farm in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, twenty cows displayed
symptoms of salivation on January 11, which was diagnosed as a
suspected Asia I strain of foot-and-mouth disease by provincial
veterinary authorities and confirmed by the National Foot-and-Mouth
Disease Lab on January 16, according to the ministry.
100 heads of cattle have been killed in that region.
The outbreaks have been brought under control, the ministry
said, adding that the areas around the two outbreaks have been
sealed off and disinfected
The ministry also ordered the emergency vaccination of all
susceptible animals in the vicinity of the outbreaks.
(Xinhua News Agency January 17, 2006)