South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced that roughly 82% of cattle designated for emergency vaccinations have been inoculated amid the surge in lumpy skin disease cases across the country. As of Saturday, out of 438,000 cows slated for this emergency measure, 357,000 have been vaccinated. The nation reported its first outbreak of this viral infection last week and has since confirmed 61 cases, leading to the culling of 4,107 cattle. The ministry is intensifying efforts to obtain more vaccines from international sources and hopes to finalize the vaccination campaign by early November.

However, authorities anticipate a rise in the number of cases in the coming weeks, as it takes approximately three weeks for vaccinated cattle to develop the necessary protective antibodies against lumpy skin disease. This highly contagious disease, spread by mosquitoes and other blood-feeding insects, results in symptoms such as skin lesions in cattle. However, it is harmless to people.