China has reported two outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in the southwest and northwest of the country, the Ministry of Agriculture said.

 

One outbreak was discovered in Wanzhou district of Chongqing Municipality, while the other was in Yongdeng County of Gansu Province.

 

"Three cattle from two villages in Chongqing's Wanzhou district showed the symptoms on Nov. 5," the Ministry of Agriculture said in a press release on Thursday.?

 

The authorities culled 13 heads of cattle and 72 pigs at risk to guard against the spread of the disease.

 

On a farm in Yongdeng County of Gansu, nine cattle showed the symptoms on Nov. 10.

 

The provincial veterinary authorities ordered an immediate disinfection and quarantine of the farm, as well as the culling of 181 cattle in the area and inoculation of the rest, the ministry said.

 

The National Foot-and-Mouth Disease Lab confirmed on Nov. 13 that all the 12 cattle were stricken with an Asian I strain of the disease.

 

One of the more recent foot-and-mouth outbreak was reported in the northwestern Qinghai Province on Sept. 30. A total of 110 cattle were culled in the outbreak that struck 53.

 

(Xinhua News Agency November 18, 2006)