The lumpy skin disease has killed 67,000 cows since the epidemic was first discovered in July, therefore the Indian government is accelerating the immunization of livestock. The illness is mostly seen in the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir, which are among the 11 states affected. Additionally, Andhra Pradesh and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands have recorded several stray instances of the illness. While Maharashtra has also issued a warning.
According to Animal Husbandry and Dairy Department Secretary Jatindra Nath Swain, the ministry has requested that states expedite the immunization procedure in order to stop the disease’s spread. The official said 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,’ adding that states are currently using the ‘goat pox’ vaccine to control lumpy skin disease (LSD) in cattle.
According to Swain, the ‘goat-pox vaccination’ is ‘100% successful,’ and the sick cattle in the afflicted areas have already received close to 15 million doses. Twenty million cattle are present in India. Despite the fact that the latest virus outbreak has emerged as the biggest threat to the dairy industry, the majority of private milk producers have asserted that the disease had little impact on milk production and that the nation was prepared with surplus milk in stockpiles. However, some have questioned this conclusion.
Cattle are susceptible to the viral illness lumpy skin disease. It results in fever, skin nodules, and can sometimes be fatal. In the meanwhile, authorities in Maharashtra—where the sickness has claimed the lives of 42 animals so far and is spreading quickly—are conducting a campaign to raise awareness of the condition and are also present in the regions where they are responsible for providing prompt aid to the public.
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