First Suspected Case of Lumpyskin Disease Reported in Changwon, Gyeongnam... Awaiting Confirmation

On the 30th, the first suspected case of Lumpy Skin Disease was reported at a Hanwoo farm in Daesan-myeon, Uichang-gu, Changwon-si, Gyeongnam.

According to Gyeongnam Province, a veterinarian who examined the cattle at the farm that morning reported suspected symptoms such as skin nodules on the cattle.

Upon receiving the report, livestock quarantine officers from the Gyeongnam Animal Hygiene Testing Laboratory immediately visited the site, collected samples, and requested detailed testing from the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency.

The final confirmation is expected to be announced that evening.

The farm raises 29 Hanwoo cattle, and an initial quarantine team has already been deployed to control access. Equipment and personnel for culling are also prepared in case of a positive diagnosis.

Cattle suspected of being infected with Lumpy Skin Disease.
Photo by Gyeongnam Provincial Government

Lumpy Skin Disease is a Class 1 livestock infectious disease that occurs when cattle are infected by blood-sucking insects such as mosquitoes.

Symptoms include high fever, loss of appetite, lymph node enlargement, a sharp decrease in milk production, temporary or permanent infertility, and the mortality rate reaches 10%.

Earlier, when Lumpy Skin Disease first occurred in a Hanwoo farm in Chungnam on the 19th, Gyeongnam Province immediately formed a quarantine countermeasures headquarters and has been responding urgently.

They closed 14 livestock markets, strengthened disinfection of livestock farms and control of blood-sucking insects, and plan to start vaccination for all livestock farms in the province immediately upon receiving emergency vaccines in the early morning of November 1, aiming to complete vaccination by the 10th of the same month.

If the suspected infected farm in Changwon is confirmed positive, emergency vaccines will be prioritized and distributed to Changwon city and neighboring cities and counties to expedite vaccination.

Kang Gwang-sik, head of the Animal Quarantine Division, said, “We will make every effort to prevent the spread by taking swift quarantine measures to stop Lumpy Skin Disease from spreading,” and added, “Cattle farms should carry out parasite control such as insecticide spraying, disinfect farm facilities and surrounding equipment, and immediately report any suspected livestock to livestock quarantine officers.”