July 14, 2020

Taiwan reports lumpy skin disease among cattle in Kinmen

Taiwan's Council of Agriculture (COA) said the fatal lumpy skin disease has been discovered among cattle on Kinmen island, Taipei Times reported.

Tu Wen-jane, Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine director-general said officials from Kinmen reported suspected cases after symptoms such as elevated skin lesions were found among the 548-head of cattle at the area's livestock research farm.

Tu said this is the first instance of lumpy skin disease, the mosquito-borne viral disease in Taiwan, adding that the virus had a 99% similar genome sequence to a strain of the virus discovered in China last year.

Chen Chi-chung, COA Minister has alerted Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-changabout the lumpy skin disease outbreak and will implement measures to contain the virus.

Kinmen also will be prohibited from exporting fresh beef.

The COA will report the cases to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Lumpy skin disease does not infect humans.

According to officials from the Kinmen County Government, 23 cattle have been culled at the facility and tests are being conducted at 47 farms near the affected facility.

Tu said lumpy skin disease has a 28-day incubation period, causing up to 20% of animals infected with illness and up to 5% with death.

-      Taipei Times