[Editorial] Foot-And-Mouth Disease Disaster before World Cup

Stock farmers will have to spend painful days again, as foot-and-mouth disease of pig broke out in Ansung-si, Gyeonggi and Jincheon-gun, Chungbuk province.

There was economic loss more than 1 trillion won two years ago due to cattle foot-and-mouth disease; therefore, it is national concern how big loss would this disaster entail.

Stock farmers has prepared for meat-exports like expanding number of live stocks before time to recover meat exports in full-scale after previous foot-and-mouth disease fluctuations, therefore, this is more shocking to them.

In addition, outbreak of the first class communicable livestock disease with the World cup round the corner, which is expecting many tourists, is rather unfortunate as many people are worried.

Foot-and-mouth disease`s contagiousness is terribly fast, therefore, whether this livestock disease can be controlled or not depends on the success of early prevention of the epidemic, says experts.

Therefore government should execute its investigation as soon as possible and grasp the route of contagiousness and continue scrupulous anti-epidemics.

Precautionary education to regions which hasn`t contracted this disease, should be carried out swiftly in whole nation, too.

As it is urgent national situation, the military and the police will provide necessary equipment and manpower, however, we hope that meat processor and sale companies that have expertise would co-operate aggressively.

Meat under circulation is not related to foot-and-mouth disease and it can`t be contracted to people through meat, therefore consumers` shouldn`t respond too sensitively.

According to the past record, consumption of meat rapidly reduced due to outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, in case of this, firstly stock farmers will get a shock, but secondly its harm will go to people, we should know.

Increase in consumption of meat is the way to share pain of stock farmers.

When cattle foot-and-mouth disease broke out two years ago; we had received evaluation that we quelled it effectively in its early stages so that the harm was minimized.

Reminiscent of the experience, people expect that foot-and-mouth disease will be eradicated soon through prudent measures this time, too.