Xinjiang reports foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in cattle

BEIJING, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese agriculture ministry on Tuesday confirmed an outbreak of O-type foot-and-mouth disease in cattle in Ruoqiang County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The disease was found in a herd of cattle transported to Xinjiang, with nine of the 286 cattle confirmed infected, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, citing a China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center report.

Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease of many wild and domestic cloven-footed mammals, including cattle and swine.

Local authorities have all 286 cattle culled and and the cattle-holding place disinfected in accordance with relevant prevention and control requirement.