BEIJING - Foot-and-mouth disease infections have been confirmed in livestock in northeast China's Liaoning Province, the Ministry of Agriculture announced Saturday.

A total of 43 pigs at a farm in Erdao Village in Dalian City of Liaoning, showed symptoms associated with foot-and-mouth disease on November 19, the ministry said.

The National Foot-and-Mouth Disease Reference Laboratory on Saturday confirmed that the pigs were infected with type O foot-and-mouth disease after testing samples collected at the farm, the statement said.

Local authorities have sealed off and sterilized the infected area to prevent the disease from spreading, the statement said.

Foot-and-mouth disease is a contagious and sometimes fatal viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, including domestic and wild bovid.