On the Tenth Day of Lumpyskin Disease Outbreak, 61 Cases Confirmed... Also Detected in Jeonnam

Additional 4 Million Vaccine Doses to Be Introduced by This Month
Health Authorities Issue Emergency Vaccination Order
Nationwide Farm Vaccinations by the 10th of Next Month

On the 29th, the tenth day since the occurrence of Lumpy Skin Disease in cattle in Korea, the number of confirmed cases increased to a total of 61.

According to the Lumpy Skin Disease Central Accident Response Headquarters (CARH), as of 2 p.m. on that day, the cumulative confirmed cases were counted at 61.

Since the first confirmed case was reported on the 20th, 3 cases were confirmed on the 21st, 6 on the 22nd, and 7 on the 23rd. On the 24th, 12 cases were confirmed, followed by 9 cases each on the 25th and 26th, and 5 cases on the 27th. The previous day, 8 cases were confirmed at farms in Yeoju, Siheung, Yeoncheon in Gyeonggi Province, Asan in Chungnam Province, and Goseong in Gangwon Province, and on that day, 1 additional case was reported in Muan, Jeonnam Province.

A total of 4,107 cattle have been or are being culled at the 61 farms where confirmed cases were found. The regions affected by Lumpy Skin Disease have expanded to seven provinces and cities including Chungnam, followed by Gyeonggi, Incheon, Chungbuk, Gangwon, Jeonbuk, and Jeonnam.

Chungnam Seosan City quarantine authorities are disinfecting the farming area in Inji-myeon, Seosan City on the 23rd.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Previously, quarantine authorities expected sporadic outbreaks mainly in the West Coast region, but confirmed cases have also appeared inland in places such as Eumseong in Chungbuk, Yanggu and Hoengseong in Gangwon. Authorities believe the Lumpy Skin Disease virus had already entered the country around mid-last month and are conducting epidemiological investigations considering various transmission routes.

The authorities issued an emergency vaccination order after procuring additional vaccines the previous day. Vaccinations will be carried out at cattle farms nationwide until the 10th of next month.

The authorities plan to import an additional 4 million doses of vaccine by the end of this month to vaccinate cattle at farms nationwide. Last year, 540,000 doses of vaccine were stockpiled domestically. The authorities expect the spread to subside by next month if the vaccination proceeds as planned.

Due to the spread of Lumpy Skin Disease, wholesale prices of cattle, which had surged, are showing signs of stabilization. According to the Livestock Products Quality Evaluation Institute’s Livestock Distribution Information, as of the 27th, the wholesale price of Korean beef was 17,726 KRW per kilogram, similar to 17,811 KRW two weeks before the outbreak and 17,403 KRW three weeks before.