SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- A new outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) occurred in four counties in North Korea last month and infected nearly 300 pigs and cows, a news report said Wednesday.

   A total of 141 out of 298 animals died after being infected with the disease, the Voice of America said, citing a North Korean report submitted to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on Monday. The news report said Pyongyang quarantined the infected areas in an apparent attempt to stem the spread of the disease.

   The North confirmed its first case of the disease in December, and the virus has since spread to six other cities and provinces, Seoul's Agriculture Minister Yoo Jeong-bok said in February.

   Last month, the World Organization for Animal Health said North Korea urgently needed around US$1 million worth of equipment and vaccines to help stem outbreaks of the deadly disease.

   The disease does not pose a direct health threat to humans, but affects cows, sheep, goats and other cloven-hoofed animals, causing blisters on the nose, mouth, hooves and teats.

   North Korea has 577,000 heads of cattle, 2.2 million pigs and 3.5 million goats, according to the OIE.
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