Korea vaccinates 95% of its cows against lumpy skin disease following outbreak

Cows are being vaccinated at a cattle farm in Ulsan. [YONHAP]

Around 95 percent of cattle in Korea have been vaccinated against lumpy skin disease (LSD), the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Tuesday, amid signs the spread of the disease is starting to subside.
 
The authorities have inoculated more than 3.85 million out of the country's 4.08 million cows so far to protect them against LSD, according to the ministry.
 
The government launched the intensive vaccination campaign last month after reporting its first-ever case of LSD on Oct. 20 under the plan to vaccinate all cattle by this coming Friday.
 
It takes around three weeks for cattle to develop antibodies.
 
The country has since confirmed 81 cases nationwide, including three from the previous day, and authorities are conducting an in-depth analysis of five suspected cases, the ministry said.
 
The disease, which does not affect humans, is a highly infectious disease among cattle that causes skin lesions, fever and loss of appetite, often leading to a drop in milk production and even death.
 
It affects cattle and buffalo via mosquitoes and other blood-feeding insects.
 

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BY KIM JU-YEON, YONHAP [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]