Since the foot-and-mouth disease was detected in Hanh Son commune, Van Chan district in the northern province of Yen Bai on January 31, the provincial Veterinary Department has culled infected-animals, and quarantined and sterilized affected-areas. So far, there have been no new outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in the locality.

Currently, the disease has been basically controlled in five infected-communes in the two districts of Bao Thang and Bao Yen in northern Lao Cai province, culling 209 animals. Local authorities have actively intensified tough measures to combat the disease, such as sterilization and vaccination. Yen Bai also set up check points at localities to examine foot-and-mouth disease on cattle and strictly controlled the transport of animals inside and outside the province.

Head of the Lao Cai provincial Veterinary Department Dao Duy Khien said the department has asked veterinary units in districts to closely monitor the transport and slaughtering of animals in localities and cull all infected-animals.

According to the Veterinary Department under the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development (MARD), the recurrence of foot-and-mouth disease in localities recently is attributed to a lack of tightened management in the context when the transport of animals is increasing to serve the upcoming Lunar New Year Festival (Tet). Another reason is that many localities only focused on fighting the bird flu epidemic and did not pay due attention to combating the foot-and-mouth disease.

To cope with the situation, the MARD decided to send experts to 12 infected provinces and cities to help them control the disease. These provinces and cities are Cao Bang, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen, Phu Yen, Can Tho, Lao Cai, Lang Son, Kon Tum, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Tuyen Quang and Dong Nai.

Deputy head of the Veterinary Department Hoang Van Nam said that in the past tough measures to prevent the foot-and-mouth disease have not been implemented comprehensively in all localities, leading to new outbreaks of the disease in large areas. Keeping the foot-and-mouth disease under control in the shortest period of time is an urgent task to stabilize production and ensure food safety for Tet, he noted.