Seoul, December 25 (IANS). Another case of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) has been reported in cattle in South Korea. The Agriculture Ministry said that now the number of cases has increased to 24.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the latest case was detected at a cattle farm in Goheung, about 330 kilometers south of Seoul, where 54 dairy cows are raised, Yonhap news agency reported.
The ministry issued a standstill order for farms and their associated personnel and vehicles while carrying out disinfection drives to prevent the spread of the disease.
LSD is a highly contagious disease that causes skin lesions, fever, and loss of appetite. This results in reduced milk production and in severe cases even death. This skin disease affects cattle and buffaloes and is spread by mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects.
In October South Korea reported one additional case of lumpy skin disease (LSD) in cattle. The latest case was detected at a cattle farm in Chungju, about 147 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
The government said all available disinfection vehicles will be deployed to prevent the spread of the disease. The agriculture ministry has called on provincial governments to be alert to the emergence of more such cases across the country and to complete vaccination of cattle by the end of this month.
The first case of LSD in cattle was reported in the country in August this year. The agriculture ministry said the case was confirmed at a cattle farm in Anseong, about 65 kilometers south of Seoul, where 80 cows are raised.
This was the first case of LSD in South Korea since November last year. Meanwhile, South Korea’s Agriculture Ministry recently said it plans to commercialize a genetic diagnostic kit for LSD in 2025.
–IANS
MKS/CBT
