BEIJING, Nov. 26 -- Four pigs had tested positive for foot-and-mouth disease in Yancheng City in east China's Jiangsu Province, according to the agriculture ministry.

Animals showing signs of the disease were first found on a farm in Dongtai township on Nov. 18. It was confirmed Tuesday by the National Foot-and-Mouth Disease Reference Laboratory that the animals had the O-type strain of the disease, the ministry said in a press release.

After authorities were alerted to the outbreak, the affected zone was sealed off and 31 pigs in the same herd were culled and incinerated.

The ministry said that at the current time, the outbreak was under control.

Foot-and-mouth disease is highly contagious and sometimes fatal that can affect cloven-hoofed animals including cattle, pigs, sheep and goats.