A 10 - 14 day mission that started on February 28 in North Korea will help contain and bring an end to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease amongst pigs and cattle in the country. The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (NAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) sent a team of veterinarians, logistics officers and lab technicians to work with veterinary officials from Korea on the case. The goal of the team is to contain the existing cases and to stop the disease from spreading any further.

The team is also helping Korean officials provide long-term prevention of the disease by studying samples of the virus that has caused at least 48 outbreaks. Looking at and testing the samples will help the animal health officials understand the genetics of the virus and help them find the most effective vaccines for killing the disease.

Humans aren’t at risk for contracting the disease, although if it isn’t contained, it could increase the already severe food shortages because animals with the disease are too weak to work in the fields and farmers are unable to sell their milk, which could in turn really affect the security of providing enough food for each household.