The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed a case of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in China involving a herd that was being transported in Hami, Xinjiang Province, in the northwest of the country. The case was confirmed by the Animal Epidemic Prevention and Control Center of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
According to the information provided, the outbreak was detected in a herd of 72 animals, with one testing positive. “In the Baishanquan quarantine station, located in Hami City in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, there was a cattle car that had arrived from outside the region,” states the official report.
Chinese health authorities said that after confirming the case on March 6, the animals were culled and the site was disinfected.
They added that this is the second FMD case so far this year. The first occurred on February 26 in Kuche City, also in Xinjiang Province, located more than 1,000 kilometers away Northeast from the current outbreak. On that occasion, the affected herd consisted of 121 cattle, four of which tested positive for FMD. That herd was also culled and the premises were disinfected.
Before these two cases in the current year, the previous FMD incident in China had been recorded in November of last year.
