Brazil confirms new foot-and-mouth outbreaks
Another six cases of foot-and-mouth disease have been confirmed among livestock raised in Brazil's Parana state near the borders with Argentina and Paraguay, said Minister of Agriculture Gabriel Alvez Maciel on Monday.

The minister said that the ministry had quarantined the affected farms, and informed the Panamerican Animal Health Organization of the cases that have been located in the municipalities of Bela Vista do Paraiso, Grandes Rios, Maringa andLoanda.

"The outbreaks have hit farms which had already been placed under quarantine by the state's veterinary service. Nine farms in Parana were identified as suspicious in November last year," he said.

Foot-and-mouth has been detected in seven of the nine farms, the first of which was announced on Dec. 5 last year. A total of 4,500 heads of cattle raised on the seven affected farms have been ordered by the ministry to be slaughtered, he added.

Foot-and-mouth was first detected in October and November last year in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, which exports the single largest amount of Brazilian beef. Since then, 56 countries have restricted the importation of related products from Brazil.

Authorities are now investigating the links between outbreaks in Mato Grosso do Sul and Parana.