Lumpy skin disease news: After Gujarat, Lumpy skin disease (LSD) has now plagued Punjab. Over 400 cattle have passed away while 20,000 have been infected within a month, said a senior official on Saturday. Most of the victims of this disease are cows, he added.
Chandigarh, Muktsar, Moga, Jalandhar, Bathinda Faridkot and Barnala are the most adversely affected regions, said Ram Pal Mittal, the joint director of the Punjab Animal Husbandry Department.
An advisory has been issued by the department to prevent the further spread of the viral infection. The first verified case of lumpy skin disease was identified in Punjab on the 4th of July, said Mittal.
Mittal continued, “Around 20,000 cases of lumpy skin disease have been reported so far in Punjab and 424 cattle have died. Mostly cows have been affected by the disease, with infections being reported from 'gaushalas' and dairy farms.”
The advisory issued by the Animal Husbandry Department informs that LSD-infected animals should be kept away in isolation from healthy cattle to check the spread of the infection. It is also recommended that movements of infected cattle be restricted.
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LSD is caused by a virus within the Capripox genus. The virus quickly spreads from cattle, like cows and buffaloes, through carriers such as flies, ticks, or mosquitos. Its symptoms include fever, runny nose, watery eyes, reduced milk yield, hearing deficiency, salivation, and most notably the soft bumpy nodules that grow all over the body, from which the disease gets its name.
LSD-infected cattle should be provided with a liquid diet or green fodder, along with clean sanitary conditions and disinfectants applied in the animal sheds. The veterinary staff has been dispatched by the state government to combat the spread of the contagious disease.
The veterinarian officers have been instructed to prioritize the most adversely affected districts with immediate effect. Orders have also been provided to deputy directors of the Animal Husbandry Department to intensify field visits.
(With PTI inputs)
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