On Sunday, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo declared that the government will make every effort to prevent lumpy skin disease (LSD) from further dispersing throughout the nation. As of 2 p.m. on Saturday, there had been 55 confirmed cases of LSD in South Korea since it was first detected on October 20th. Up to that point, 3,800 cows had either been slaughtered or were scheduled to be slaughtered.
“The following three weeks will be the most critical period for containing the infection. Farms must actively carry out vaccinations,” Han said in a meeting with officials at his official residence in central Seoul. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs reported that by Saturday morning, 357,000 of the 438,000 cows that were subject to emergency inoculation had already been given the vaccine.
The government is aiming to finish the nationwide vaccinations by the beginning of November, although the number of cases is likely to increase in the meantime, since it takes around three weeks for vaccinated cattle to produce antibodies that will protect them from the disease.
LSD, which does not affect humans, is a highly contagious illness that leads to skin lesions, fever, and a lack of appetite, and can cause a decrease in milk production and even death. It is transmitted to cattle and buffalo by mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects.
Prime Minister Han Duck-soo (2nd from R) makes remarks at a meeting with officials at his official residence in central Seoul on Oct. 29, 2023. (Yonhap)
kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
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