The agriculture ministry said Tuesday it has bolstered disinfection and inoculation operations at local farms after the country reported cases of lumpy skin disease and African swine fever (ASF) earlier this week.

The announcement came after South Korea reported its first lumpy skin disease case in nine months on Monday at a cow farm in Anseong, located some 65 kilometers south of Seoul.

The country also confirmed its seventh ASF case this year at a pig farm in Yeongcheon, 246 km southeast of Seoul, the previous day.

The agriculture ministry said it is currently conducting epidemiological investigations at the infected farms while issuing standstill orders in the area.

Authorities have also culled six cows that tested positive, along with 1,490 pigs as a precautionary measure, it added.

South Korea will also complete vaccination against lumpy skin disease in Anseong and adjacent regions by Sunday.

“The lumpy skin disease may spread to a wide region within a short time, as it can be spread through insec
ts,” Vice Agriculture Minister Park Beom-su said during an emergency meeting.

Park also called for regional governments to carry out thorough disinfection operations to prevent the spread of ASF amid the rising number of cases in wild boars.

The agriculture ministry, meanwhile, added that the latest cases of animal diseases are not likely to have an immediate impact on the supply of livestock goods ahead of the Chuseok holiday in September, as the number of affected animals remains low.

Source: Yonhap News Agency