ULAN BATOR, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia has planned to start a vaccination campaign here in May to prevent an outbreak of the deadly foot-and-mouth disease among high-risk animals.

There are about 16,000 heads of livestock in the capital of Mongolia. The vaccines to immunize these animals will be sent from Russia, the head of the Ulan Bator City Veterinary Clinic M. Adilbish said Monday.

Mongolian quarantine officials are using lemonic acid to disinfect all vehicles that come from the infected areas to the capital city.

Currently, a martial law has been declared in 23 soums (administrative subdivisions) in eight provinces to control the spread of the foot-and-mouth disease.

The foot-and-mouth disease is a viral infectious disease that spreads between cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep and pigs. The main symptoms of sick animals are increased body temperature, blisters and ulceration in the mucous membranes and hoofs in the mouth.

The foot-and-mouth disease is rarely transmitted to humans, but humans may also be infected if exposed to the virus.

Mongolian quarantine officials have had over 3,300 animals slaughtered since the beginning of this year in the country to contain the spread of the disease.