TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Executive Yuan’s Council of Agriculture (COA) announced on Monday (May 6) that Taiwan has successfully eradicated the foot and mouth disease (FMD).

 

After 23 years of combatting FMD, Taiwan has finally been able to claim itself free from the epidemic, said COA deputy minister Huang Chin-cheng (黃金城) on Monday (May 6).

 

Huang told the media that the government will be able to submit documented evidence to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) in July to be endorsed as a “FMD free country where vaccination is not practiced.”

 

The OIE requires countries to demonstrate no infection with FMD virus in unvaccinated animals after ending vaccination for 12 months. Taiwan stopped vaccination practice in June last year.

 

Huang said there has been no sign of infection on unvaccinated livestock so far. COA has been monitoring animal immunity, and the test results all show negative thus far.

 

COA Minister Chen Chi-chung （陳吉仲）said that the OIE submission has been the government’s focus since last year. He hopes that after next month’s evidence submission, Taiwan can be officially endorsed as a “FMD free country where vaccination is not practiced” at the OIE annual conference next May, according to media reports.