South Korea reports surge in lumpy skin disease cases

Seoul: South Korea has reported a new case of lumpy skin disease (LSD) in cattle, raising the total number of confirmed cases this year to 14, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced on Saturday. The latest case was detected at a cattle farm in Munkyong, around 140 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

In response to the outbreak, the ministry issued a 24-hour standstill order, restricting movement for personnel and vehicles linked to the farm and associated facilities in six nearby regions, as reported by Yonhap news agency. The restriction aims to curb the potential spread of the disease. On Friday, three additional cases were confirmed separately, underscoring the rapid spread of the disease across different parts of the country, according to IANS.

Lumpy skin disease, a highly contagious viral illness, primarily affects cattle and buffalo. It is characterized by skin lesions, fever, and reduced appetite, which can lead to decreased milk production. In severe cases, the disease can cause death. Transmission occurs through vectors like mosquitoes and other blood-feeding insects, making it a significant threat to livestock health and productivity. As a containment measure, authorities are deploying all available disinfection vehicles to limit the spread of the disease, as per IANS inputs.

The government has also reported LSD cases from Inje, located 118 kilometers east of Seoul, and Dangjin, around 80 kilometers south of the capital. To prevent further outbreaks, quarantine measures have been implemented, and the affected farm has been cordoned off to limit movement in and out of the area. The agriculture ministry has urged local governments to maintain vigilance and complete the nationwide cattle vaccination drive by the end of October.

The first LSD case in cattle this year was detected in August at a livestock farm in Anseong, about 65 kilometers south of Seoul. It was the first reported instance of the disease in South Korea since November of the previous year. The farm in Anseong housed 80 cows and was immediately subjected to containment measures to limit the spread.

In an effort to enhance disease management, South Korea’s agricultural ministry recently announced plans to commercialize a genetic diagnostic kit for LSD by 2025. The genetic kit aims to allow selective culling of infected cattle, thereby minimizing economic losses by sparing uninfected animals in the herd. This initiative represents a proactive step toward better control and management of lumpy skin disease in the nation’s livestock sector, according to IANS.