(ATTN: UPDATES with latest figures in para 5)
The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in South Korea announced Tuesday that nearly all cows in the country have been vaccinated against lumpy skin disease (LSD). A total of 3.85 million out of the country’s 4.08 million cows have been inoculated against the disease.
The government launched the extensive vaccination program last month after the first reported case of LSD on Oct. 20, with the goal of immunizing all cattle by this Friday.
It takes around three weeks for cattle to develop antibodies.
As of Tuesday, 83 cases of LSD have been confirmed nationwide, including two more on that day. Additionally, authorities are analyzing three suspected cases, according to the ministry.
LSD, which does not affect humans, is an infectious disease that causes skin lesions, fever, and a decrease in appetite. It can lead to a decrease in milk production and even death when contracted by cattle and buffalo, and is transmitted by mosquitoes and other blood-feeding insects.
A farmer vaccinates cattle at a farm in Ulsan, 299 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Nov. 1, 2023. (Yonhap)
colin@yna.co.kr
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