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Foot-and-mouth disease reported in Taiwan

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-19 16:02

TAIPEI -- Agriculture authorities have slaughtered hundreds of pigs in central Taiwan in a bid to contain the island's first outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 12 years.

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More than 600 pigs showing symptoms of the disease were culled Wednesday night, according to the Changhua county quarantine agency.

The action was taken after tests confirmed the initial diagnosis, the agency said.

The farm on which the outbreak occurred still has more than 6,000 pigs, but the agency said it had been disinfected and the pigs vaccinated.

Another outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease was reported in the central Yunlin county, where almost 70 pigs were culled. The local quarantine agency said the outbreak appeared to be well contained.

Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious degenerative viral disease of cattle and other cloven-hoofed animals. It is usually not fatal.