Occurrence of Hanwoo Lumpy Skin Disease After 9 Months... Government to Establish Special Quarantine Management Plan

Confirmed Case of Lumpy Skin Disease at Anseong Hanwoo Farm on the 12th
African Swine Fever Outbreak in Yeongcheon
Government Reviews Livestock Infectious Disease Status and Quarantine Measures

Following the confirmation of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) at a Hanwoo farm after nine months since last November, the government is taking urgent measures to contain the spread through emergency vaccination, controlling vehicle access to farms, and culling.

The Lumpy Skin Disease Livestock Disease Control Headquarters and the African Swine Fever (ASF) Central Accident Response Headquarters announced on the 13th that they held a Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting involving related ministries and local governments to review the outbreak situation and quarantine measures.

Park Beom-su, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, is presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting at the Government Sejong Complex on the 13th.

According to the CDSCH, the owner of a Hanwoo farm located in Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, reported nodules on the skin of cattle on the 12th to the livestock quarantine authorities. After conducting detailed tests, six cattle tested positive for Lumpy Skin Disease. This is the first occurrence this year and the first in about nine months since the last case on November 20 of last year in Yecheon, Gyeongbuk.

Regarding ASF, the owner of a pig farm in Yeongcheon-si, Gyeongbuk, reported an increase in pig deaths the previous day to the livestock quarantine authorities. Detailed tests confirmed ASF positivity. This is the seventh occurrence this year and the first additional case in about a month since the outbreak on the 6th of last month in Yecheon, Gyeongbuk.

In response to the confirmation of Lumpy Skin Disease at the Hanwoo farm in Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, the Lumpy Skin Disease Livestock Disease Control Headquarters immediately dispatched an initial response team and an epidemiological investigation team to the site to enforce emergency quarantine measures including controlling access of outsiders and vehicles to the farm, culling six cattle, disinfection, and epidemiological investigation.

Additionally, the crisis alert level was raised from caution to severe for Anseong-si and 10 adjacent cities and counties (Hwaseong, Pyeongtaek, Yongin, Icheon, Osan in Gyeonggi-do; Eumseong, Jincheon in Chungbuk; Cheonan, Asan, Dangjin in Chungnam). Emergency vaccination is planned to be completed by the 18th for six cities and counties excluding five that completed vaccination in April this year (Hwaseong, Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi-do; Eumseong in Chungbuk; Asan, Dangjin in Chungnam). According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, vaccination was completed in April for 1.22 million cattle across 40 cities and counties, and approximately 3 million doses are currently stockpiled, securing enough vaccine for the remaining approximately 2.67 million cattle.

Meanwhile, the CDSCH immediately dispatched an initial response team and an epidemiological investigation team to the pig farm in Yeongcheon-si, Gyeongbuk, where ASF was confirmed, to enforce emergency quarantine measures including controlling access of outsiders and vehicles to the farm, culling 1,490 pigs, disinfection, and epidemiological investigation.

The Lumpy Skin Disease Livestock Disease Control Headquarters is disseminating information about the outbreak to all cattle farms nationwide and intensively promoting quarantine rules such as farm disinfection and vector insect control. Each city, county, and district is planned to establish and implement a 'Lumpy Skin Disease Special Quarantine Management Plan' that includes disinfection, surveillance, and vector insect control measures. The ASF Central Headquarters is also disseminating outbreak information to all pig farms nationwide and intensively promoting quarantine rules such as farm disinfection. Clinical and detailed tests will be conducted on all farms in Gyeongbuk for pigs being moved to slaughterhouses.

At the CDSCH meeting, Park Beom-su, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, stated, "Since Lumpy Skin Disease is mainly transmitted by vector insects, there is a risk of rapid spread over a wide area. Therefore, not only Gyeonggi-do but all local governments nationwide should remain vigilant and do their utmost in vaccination and vector insect control." He added, "Despite the very high risk of ASF, some pig farms still have insufficient quarantine levels. Local governments should conduct thorough inspections without being bound by leniency or formalities, and strictly address any deficiencies."