South Korea reports first lumpy skin disease outbreak at cattle farm

[October 20, 2023]  SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea reported on Friday the country's first outbreak of lumpy skin disease at a cattle farm, the agriculture ministry said.

Four cows at a farm in the western city of Seosan were found to have been infected with the disease after showing skin lesion, the ministry said.

Lumpy skin disease, which causes blisters and reduces milk production, is a highly infectious viral disease affecting cattle and buffalo that is transmitted by insect biting. It does not pose a risk to humans.

Authorities have restricted access to and from the affected farm and plan to cull some 40 other cows at the facility, it said.

The government has also imposed a 48-hour transport ban on cattle across the country starting on Friday afternoon to prevent the risk of a further spread of the disease, the ministry said.

(Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi; Editing by Ed Davies)

[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.