New foot-and-mouth cases confirmed in South Brazil
Brazil's government on Thursday confirmed 20 new cases of foot-and-mouth disease in the southern Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul.

The new cases were detected in Japora, some 25 km from the Parana state border, the State Animal and Vegetable Hygiene Defense agency reported.

Of 137 animals examined, 20 tested positive for the disease, said the agency, which added that the infected animals would be culled this week.

The Mato Grosso do Sul farmers' association said a resurgence of foot-and-mouth could cost them an estimated 47 million U.S. dollars.

On Wednesday, when rumors of foot-and-mouth infections began to circulate, the price of Mato Grosso beef fell 17 percent in the meat markets of the former capital city Sao Paulo.

Neighboring Parana state has already banned imports of live domestic animals and their products in an effort to halt the spread of the disease. Cattle, pigs, sheep and goats, among others, are on the list of banned animals.

Mato Grosso has just begun to recover from the impact of last year's foot-and-mouth outbreak, which triggered import bans on Brazilian beef in a number of countries.

The farmers' association blamed federal and state governments for not working hard enough to eliminate all foot-and-mouth infections, and for failing to extend its vaccination program nationwide.