signs of mitigating
The severe foot-and-mouth epidemic that started in South Korea at the end of November last year appears to show signs of mitigating, local media reported Tuesday, citing the country's Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
The ministry said a total of 3,395,021 animals, mostly pigs and cow, had been culled as of Monday to prevent the spread of the disease, but Monday saw the culling of a mere increase of 3,079 animals from the day before, according to South Korea's mass- circulation Chosun Ilbo newspaper.
Monday's figure stood at approximately one-eighth of the average 25,000 animals culled a day in early February. The newspaper said that improvement could be attributed to the second round of vaccination that will be completed by the end of this month.
"We're cautiously predicting that foot-and-mouth disease would be under control by early next month after the second round of vaccinations is completed this month," Agricultural Minister Yoo Jeong-bok was quoted as saying by the newpaper.