Lumpy skin disease: Indian govt accelerates vaccination as more cattle fall prey to virus
A bull infected with lumpy skin disease
The Indian government is speeding up vaccination of cattle as the lumpy skin disease claims the lives of 67,000 bovines since the outbreak was first reported in July.
The disease is mainly spread in 11 states Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir. Some stray cases of the disease are also reported from Andhra Pradesh and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. While Maharashtra, too, has sounded alert.
Animal Husbandry and Dairying Department Secretary Jatindra Nath Swain said that the ministry has asked states to accelerate the inoculation process on war footing to curb the spread of the disease.
“States are currently using the 'goat pox' vaccine to control lumpy skin disease (LSD) in cattle," he told PTI news agency.
The official added that the commercial launch of a new vaccine called 'Lumpi-ProVacInd', which is being developed by two institutes of Agri research body ICAR, will take the next "three to four months”.
Swain said that the ‘goat-pox vaccine’ is "100 per cent effective" and almost 15 million doses have already administered to the ill cattle in affected states. The population of cattle in India is 20 million.
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Though the new virus outbreak has emerged as the biggest challenge to the dairy sector, most private milk producers have claimed that disease had no big impact on milk production, adding that the country is poised with surplus milk in inventories, but some have questioned this assessment.
Lumpy skin disease is a contagious viral disease that affects cattle. It causes fever, nodules on the skin and can also lead to death.
Meanwhile, officials in Maharashtra—where so far 42 animals have died and where the disease is spreading rapidly— are running an awareness campaign on the disease and also remain present in their areas of duty to provide immediate assistance to people.
(With inputs from agencies)
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