Foot-and-mouth disease has infected 54 cattle in a district of Wuhan City in central China's Hubei Province, the Ministry of Agriculture announced on Wednesday.

The outbreak was first reported on Jan. 8 in Huangbei District and confirmed by the national foot-and-mouth disease reference laboratory on Wednesday.

A total of 1,190 cattle were culled and properly disposed of, including all those in the same herd, said a statement from the Ministry.

The disease is under control now, the statement said.

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