October 31, 2023
South Korea takes urgent measures to contain LSD
South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo announced that the government aims to prevent the further spread of lumpy skin disease (LSD) in the country, Korea JoongAng Daily reported.
During a high-level meeting involving the government, the ruling party, and the presidential office, Han emphasised the critical nature of the next three weeks for controlling and preventing the disease. He called on livestock farmers to cooperate proactively in facilitating the swift vaccination of cattle.
In response to the disease outbreak, the government decided to reimburse livestock farmers for the costs associated with culling cattle, even in cases where they violated quarantine regulations. This measure is designed to encourage farmers to promptly report cases to the authorities, effectively stemming the rapid spread of lumpy skin disease.
The first case of the disease was reported on October 20 in Seosan, South Chungcheong. As of Sunday, a total of 60 farms and ranches have confirmed cases, spanning regions such as Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Incheon, North and South Chungcheong, and North and South Jeolla. In response, approximately 3,959 cattle have been or will be culled at these 60 locations.
The government initiated a vaccination campaign, with 217,000 cattle already vaccinated as of Friday. Their goal is to complete the vaccination of all cattle nationwide by November 10 and import 4 million vaccine doses by the end of October. Currently, 1.27 million doses have arrived at Incheon International Airport.
Vaccination efforts prioritise regions with confirmed cases or those nearby, followed by cities and provinces with cases, and, lastly, provinces without cases.
To ensure safety, local authorities and the ministry are disinfecting slaughter sites and cattle trucks. The government has also planned to monitor farms and conduct on-site inspections to prevent major livestock epidemics, including avian influenza and foot-and-mouth disease.
- Korea JoongAng Daily
