South Korea bans German pork imports following foot-and-mouth disease outbreak

Seoul, Jan 11 South Korea placed an import ban on German pork on Saturday ,following an outbreak of highly contagious foot-and-mouth (FMD) disease in the European nation, the agriculture ministry said.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said the decision was made after Germany reported its first FMD case since 1988.

FMD is one of the most infectious diseases for cloven-hoofed animals, such as cattle and pigs, and can spread rapidly if uncontrolled, reports Yonhap news agency.

The ministry said it will conduct FMD virus tests on German pork products shipped to the nation since December 27.

Currently, approximately 360 tons of German pork, shipped between October 26 and November 17, is awaiting quarantine inspection.

The ministry said it will proceed with clearance procedures for the products through the normal process as the maximum latent period for the FDM virus is 14 days.

Meanwhile, South Korea reported two additional cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) Monday, bringing the country's total number of outbreaks this season to 23, authorities said.

The new cases were detected at a broiler breeder farm in Dangjin, 79 kilometers south of Seoul, and a meat duck farm in Buan, 204 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the central disaster management headquarters for AI outbreaks.

Authorities are monitoring 69 poultry farms located within the quarantine zones of the two infected farms to prevent further spread, the anti-disaster office said, according to the report.

—IANS

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