DPRK Media Reports on FMD

A view of Rihyon-ri in Pyongyang, where the DPRK media reported its first outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) occurred "late last year" (Photo: GoogleEarth)

The DPRK media externally reported the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease [FMD] in the country on 10 February [Thursday].  KCNA reported that the first case was found in Rihyon-ri in Pyongyang.    ROK media reported on the possibility of FMD affecting DPRK livestock on 18 January.

Suffering the severest damage among the FMD-stricken regions are Pyongyang, North Hwanghae Province, and Kangwon Province.

Type O FMD is inflicting damage on the livestock at cooperative farms and milk cow and pig farms in these regions.

As of now, around one million heads of draught oxen, milk cows, and pigs have been infected with the FMD virus, and thousands of them have died.

The State Veterinary Epidemic Prevention Committee headed by Vice Cabinet Premier Kim Rak Hui has been organized, and emergency quarantine measures have been declared.

Yonhap, citing RFA, reported that a team from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization would be traveling to the country:

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the U.N. will dispatch “three to five experts, including a veterinarian,” to North Korea to determine what sort of assistance North Koreans will need in light of the FMD outbreak, the RFA reported. Citing an anonymous FAO official, the report said the agency held an emergency meeting immediately after North Korea requested aid earlier this week.

“We’re very pleased that North Korea informed us of its FMD outbreak and officially asked for help,” the official was quoted as saying.