In its 1st outbreak, South Korea confirms 29 lumpy skin disease cases

ANKARA

South Korean authorities on Wednesday confirmed that lumpy skin disease cases in cattle rose to 29 in the nation's first such outbreak.

The first case in the East Asian country was reported last Friday, according to Seoul-based Yonhap News.

Health authorities already launched a vaccination campaign across the country to halt the spread of the disease as they fear more cases could surface in the coming weeks, it said.

Vaccination typically takes around three weeks to develop protective antibodies in cattle against the disease.

The viral lumpy skin disease, according to experts, is transmitted by blood-feeding insects, like flies, mosquitoes, and ticks. The disease causes fever, and nodules on the skin.

The disease was first discovered in 1929 in Africa. Though it is contained in Africa, over the years, it has made entry into new territories, including Asia in 2019.