VietNamNet Bridge – Foot-and-mouth disease reappeared in 17 cities and provinces nationwide after being contained for three weeks, reported the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Report from Yen Bai Province's Department of Animal Health stated that the outbreak occurred in 15 communes in four districts, including Mu Cang Chai, Tran Yen, Yen Binh and Van Yen, where there are more than 760 infected cattle.

The department has culled about 60 pigs, cows and buffaloes and sent 9,500 vaccine doses and 549 litres of sterilisation material to infected and neighbouring areas.

About 100 pigs were slaughtered in the southern province of Tien Giang while 30 others were culled in central Ha Tinh Province.

Vice chairman of central Ha Tinh Province's People's Committee Le Dinh Son said that the disease had spread rapidly in 17 communes, where there were 120 reported cases.

Son said the disease might continue to spread because both local authorities and farmers did not vaccinate their livestock or implement measures that would have kept their livestock warm and healthy during the pro-longed cold spell.

In northern Ha Giang Province, nine districts have reported 2,104 cases of the disease. Vice chairman of the provincial People's Committee Nguyen Minh Tien said the province had established a steering committee to ban the transport and trade of livestock from the nine districts.

The province also vaccinated 18,500 animals and sterilised markets to prevent the disease from spreading.

Last month, the disease was reported in 15 cities and provinces.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News