SEOUL, Oct. 21 (Yonhap) — South Korea has confirmed further cases of lumpy skin disease (LSD) in cattle at two local farms on Saturday. This follows the country’s first-ever instance of LSD at a farm in Seosan, located some 98 kilometers southwest of Seoul, the day before.
The second case was identified at a farm in Pyeongtaek, located 60 kilometers south of Seoul, where samples were taken from a milk cow showing signs of LSD on Friday. Additionally, a third case was confirmed at a cattle farm in Dangjin, just north of Seosan, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
LSD is a highly contagious disease that results in skin lesions, fever and loss of appetite, often resulting in a decline in milk production and even death. It affects cattle and buffalo through mosquitoes and other blood-feeding insects.
In accordance with the country’s health protocol, the government has quarantined the affected farms, with the entire 92 heads of cattle at the Pyeongtaek farm and some 40 cows at the farm in Dangjin set to be culled, according to the agriculture ministry.
A standstill order is also in effect on all farms and related facilities within a 10 kilometer radius of the affected farms until 2 p.m. Sunday, the ministry said. The government intends to vaccinate some 53,000 heads of cattle in areas near the affected farms, it added.