▲ A farmer vaccinates cattle at a farm in Ulsan, 299 kilometers south of Seoul, in this file photo taken Nov. 1, 2023. (Yonhap)

cattle disease-outlook

Cattle disease outbreaks set to stabilize by end of November: gov't

SEOUL, Nov. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's agricultural authorities said Thursday that lumpy skin disease (LSD) outbreaks are projected to stabilize by the end of this month, following the completion of the vaccination campaign.

"During winter, the activity of disease-carrying blood-feeding insects is anticipated to decrease with the lowering temperatures. Additionally, outbreaks are expected to further stabilize as cattle develop antibodies following vaccination," an agricultural official said during a briefing.

The official, however, added that authorities are facing challenges in gaining full control over the situation due to high temperatures in some southern regions and noted that the country may witness additional cases down the road.

After reporting its first-ever case on Oct. 20, South Korea has so far identified 152 LSD cases across the nation, although no additional cases have been confirmed since Tuesday.

South Korea completed the inoculation of all 4.05 million cattle in the country earlier this month, although authorities anticipate additional infections for the time being, considering the typical three-week period for the animal to develop antibodies.

The disease, which does not affect humans, is a highly infectious disease that causes skin lesions, fever and loss of appetite, often leading to a fall in milk production and even death.

It affects cattle and buffalo, and is transmitted via mosquitoes and other blood-feeding insects.

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