Foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed at another cattle farm in Yecheon County, raising South Korea’s reported total for the year to 14 outbreaks. The central disaster response headquarters said on October 3 that the virus was detected during surveillance testing conducted as part of preparations to lift restrictions in the affected area.
- Location
- A cattle farm in Yecheon County
- Animals on farm
- 98 cattle
- Positive animals
- 10 cattle
- Annual outbreak total
- 14 reported farm outbreaks
The farm keeps 98 cattle and lies within three kilometers of another Yecheon farm where foot-and-mouth disease was reported on September 3. It had therefore already been subject to movement restrictions and other disease-control measures. Tests identified 10 cattle that were positive for the virus antigen.
Authorities sent an initial disease-control team and epidemiological investigators to the property. Access by visitors, livestock and vehicles has been restricted while officials investigate possible transmission routes. The 10 animals confirmed as infected are due to be culled after detailed and clinical examinations, while any additional animals showing symptoms or testing positive will also be subject to selective culling.
Regional outbreak count and immediate impact
The latest case brings the annual outbreak count cited by authorities to nine in Yecheon, two in Goyang in Gyeonggi Province and three in Ganghwa in Incheon. That total refers to recorded farm outbreaks, not the number of infected animals. The distinction matters because a single affected farm can hold many animals and trigger controls extending beyond its boundaries.
Foot-and-mouth disease spreads readily among cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle and pigs. For farmers in Yecheon and surrounding areas, the immediate effects include continued scrutiny of livestock movements, farm access and vehicle traffic. The next key question is whether surveillance and epidemiological checks identify further positive animals or links to other farms before restrictions in the control zone can be eased.