The diseases which broke out in Rihyon-ri, Sadong District, Pyongyang, at the end of last year spread to North and South Phyongan Provinces, North Hwanghae Province, Jagang Province and Kangwon Province and three other provinces.

The most seriously affected areas are Pyongyang, North Hwanghae Province and Kangwon Province.

Type 0 Foot-and-mouth diseases broke out on cooperative farms, diary farms and pig farms in those areas, doing harm to domestic animals.

More than 10,000 heads of draught oxen, milch cows and pigs have so far been infected with the diseases and thousands of them died.

A national emergency veterinary and anti-epizootic committee was organized with Kim Rak Hui, vice-premier of the Cabinet, as its chairwoman. An emergency anti-epidemic campaign was declared throughout the country.

Now the infected areas are quarantined and disinfected and measures are taken to treat those infected with the diseases, according to Ri Kyong Gun, 46, department director of the Ministry of Agriculture.

The dead animals have been buried.

All the catering networks and markets have stopped selling meat of the above-said domestic animals.