South Korean provincial governments have launched a campaign to prevent people from traveling to other areas during the Lunar New Year holidays next week in a bid to curtail the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and the bird flu epidemics plaguing the country.
South Jeolla Province, which has not been affected, is asking visitors to stay away. North Jeolla Province and South Gyeongsang Province have also taken similar measures to prevent the spread of FMD and bird flu. Since the first outbreak in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, on November 29, FMD has spread to nearly all parts of the country, except for these provinces and Jeju Island. The central and local governments have so far culled more than 2 million cows and pigs to stop the spread of the virus at an estimated cost of around USD 1.8 billion.
The nationwide outbreaks of foot-and-mouth originated in pigs in the city of Andong in North Gyeongsang province on Nov 28, and rapidly spread to six provinces, leading South Korea to expand vaccination nationwide.The outbreaks have prompted all the livestock markets across the country to be closed for more than a month, while a small volume of meat has been traded online or by telephone.
The massive slaughter and market closures have helped wholesale and retail prices of pork jump by 43 per cent and nearly 10 per cent, respectively, from December average prices, according to one statement from the ministry.
Source: The Straits Times and Asian Agribusiness Group
