Lumpy skin disease among animals overtime has become synonymous to COVID-19 among humans. The movement of cattle is being restricted to avoid the spread of the fatal viral disease. Maharashtra’s state animal husbandry minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Thursday said that restrictions on cattle movement in the state will remain in place for another month due to the lumpy skin disease even though a significant vaccination campaign is being conducted to prevent the viral infection.
Patil said immediate action on the part of the state government and rapid vaccination have kept the deaths to just 2,100 in the state.
Stating government’s stand so as to prevent the spread of lumpy skin disease he added, “We have decided to continue with the ban on the transport of domestic animals and cattle for at least one more month. Vaccination is going on and we are assessing the situation.”
The minister told that the extra vials that had been procured have already been exhausted.
He asserted, “This vaccination drive has helped us keep the deaths to 2,100. Had we not acted immediately, the deaths of cattle could have been in the range of 20,000.”
Early in September, the Maharashtra government declared the entire state to be a “controlled area,” restricting the movement of cattle and outlawing animal fairs, and other things.
The first case of the ailment in the state was reported from Chinawal village in Jalgaon district’s Raver taluka on 4 August.
Lumpy skin disease is a viral ailment in cattle transmitted by blood-feeding insects such as certain species of flies, mosquitoes and ticks. Symptoms of the disease primarily include fever and nodules on the skin. The disease can cause death, more so if the cattle has not been previously exposed to the virus.
On 13 September, the Maharashtra government had started the vaccination drive against the Lumpy Skin Disease virus amid death of 43 animals in 21 districts due to the deadly virus.
Last month, the Uttar Pradesh government had banned cattle trade with four neighbouring states- Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi. The state government had imposed restrictions on the intrastate movement of animals
Lumpy Skin Disease has killed over 67000 animals in the country according to Central government.
(With inputs from agencies)
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