Russian Far East Village Fenced Off to Stem Spread of Foot and Mouth Disease

Russian Far East village fenced off to stem spread of foot and mouth disease

MOSCOW, Aug. 23 (Xinhua) — Russian authorities sealed off a village in the Far East region of Khabarovsk to prevent the spread of foot and mouth disease, Itar-Tass news agency reported on Tuesday.

Traffic police have set up roadblocks and public health officials have put up disinfection barriers around the village of Dobrolyubovo where about 105 head of cattle have showed symptoms of the disease, emergency officials were quoted as saying

Officials have also taken preventive measures in neighboring villages in the district, which borders China. Veterinary officials arrived in the region Monday with vaccines against the disease.

Foot and mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep and pigs. It causes sores, blisters and fever. Though deadly for livestock, reports said it is harmless to human beings.

This was the second attack of foot and mouth disease in the Far East this year, following an outbreak in June in the Amur region which prompted officials to destroy more than 230 head of cattle.