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| Sunday, 1 January 2006 |
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China reports new foot-and-mouth disease outbreak BEIJING, Dec 31 (AFP) - China has reported a new outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease which infected 48 head of cattle, the agriculture ministry said Saturday. The outbreak was discovered on a farm in Jinan city in the eastern province of Shandong, the ministry announced in a statement on its website. To stop the spread of the disease, authorities culled 91 cows, including the 48 infected ones and those raised near them, it said. The statement said cattle on the farm lost appetite and developed fever early this month and by Thursday, 48 head of cattle were confirmed to be infected with Asian "Type I" foot-and-mouth disease. Government authorities ordered immediate disinfection and quarantine of the farm, as well as the inoculation of cattle in the area, it said. China last reported the disease in June, when 40 head of cattle was infected in the northwestern region of Xinjiang. Another four outbreaks occurred between April and May, prompting authorities to cull more than 4,000 cattle. China has previously said instances of foot-and-mouth disease are few and far between, although some critics have argued outbreaks happen at much greater frequency than admitted by the authorities. Foot-and-mouth disease is a severe, highly contagious viral disease affecting cattle, pigs, sheep and other livestock. It is not usually fatal but causes losses in the production of meat and milk. |
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