HANOI, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's central provinces of QuangBinh and Quang Nam have been stricken by foot-and-mouth disease inthe last few days, according to local media on Friday.

    The disease broke out in Dong Hoi city of Quang Binh, affectingtwo bulls, and in Tam Ky city of Quang Nam, infecting 7 pigs and 8bulls, buffaloes, the newspapers Pioneer and Youth reported.

    The two provincial veterinary bureaus have detoxificated affected farms, and vaccinated healthy cattle against the disease in the localities.

    However, the Department of Animal Health under the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has yet to announce outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in the two provinces.

    Now, the disease has hit 18 communes in five provinces, namely Tuyen Quang, Yen Bai and Thai Nguyen in the north, and Phu Yen andKon Tum in the central region, said the department.

    Under a national agriculture development plan approved by the government in 2005, Vietnam will, by 2010, have 35-40 million pigs,6.5-6.7 million bulls and cows, 2.8-3 million buffaloes, and 380-390 million poultry.