Due to consecutive outbreaks of Lumpyskin disease... Emergency vaccination and vector insect control measures strengthened

10 Cases Occurred in Chungnam and Gyeonggi

As a total of 10 cases of Lumpy Skin Disease have occurred consecutively in Gyeonggi and Chungnam provinces, the government is strengthening quarantine measures such as emergency vaccination and vector insect control.

The Central Accident Response Headquarters for Lumpy Skin Disease announced on the 22nd that since the first occurrence of Lumpy Skin Disease at a Korean cattle farm in Seosan-si, Chungnam on the 20th, 10 cases have been reported at cattle farms in Chungnam and Gyeonggi along the west coast, with additional reports being received.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has prepared in advance by stockpiling vaccines (for 540,000 cattle) and establishing emergency standard operating procedures (SOP) in anticipation of domestic inflow. Since Lumpy Skin Disease can be prevented with vaccines, rapid vaccination and antibody formation (3 weeks) will be carried out, and quarantine management at cattle farms nationwide will be strengthened through blocking quarantine until stabilization.

First, considering the stockpiled vaccine quantity and the current situation, emergency vaccination will be rapidly completed at cattle farms within the quarantine zones by the end of October.

Additionally, 1.7 million doses of vaccine will be newly imported by early November to conduct emergency vaccination for all cattle (about 1.2 million heads) in high-risk areas such as Gyeonggi and Chungnam.

Vector control will also be intensified. To control and disinfect blood-sucking insects such as mosquitoes, which are major transmission factors of Lumpy Skin Disease, all available resources from local governments, agricultural cooperatives, and others will be mobilized for intensive control around farms, and farmers will be guided and promoted to thoroughly control blood-sucking insects within their farms.

The nationwide 48-hour movement ban (from 2 p.m. on the 20th to 2 p.m. on the 22nd) has ended, but the temporary 48-hour movement ban will be extended only in high-risk areas where additional cases are occurring, such as Chungnam, Gyeonggi, and Incheon. About 600 disinfection vehicles nationwide will be mobilized for intensive disinfection, and blocking quarantine measures such as disinfecting livestock barns at farms will be closely managed.

At the same time, clinical and detailed examinations will be promptly conducted on quarantine zones and epidemiological farms, and education and publicity will be strengthened to encourage early reporting and detection (clinical symptoms, etc.) by farmers and veterinarians.

The government expects that although Korean beef prices may temporarily rise due to movement restrictions, the impact on supply and prices will be limited considering the number of livestock, and due to the characteristics of raw milk price determination, prices of raw milk and milk are expected to remain stable.

The head of the Central Accident Response Headquarters (Minister Jeong Hwang-geun of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) stated, "Lumpy Skin Disease does not transmit to humans, and infected cattle are culled, so there is no possibility of entering the food system. Therefore, the public does not need to have excessive anxiety," and urged, "Winter is a risky period when not only Lumpy Skin Disease but also highly pathogenic avian influenza and foot-and-mouth disease can occur, so farms and related agencies should thoroughly implement blocking quarantine such as disinfection and control."

On the 22nd, Jeong Hwang-geun, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, is speaking while presiding over the Central Accident Response Headquarters meeting for Lumpy Skin Disease.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.