2,070 cattle die due to Lumpy Skin Disease in Karnataka

PTI, Oct 14, 2022, 8:32 PM IST

Representative Image (Source: ANI)

Bengaluru: As many as 2,070 cattle have died due to the Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in Karnataka, while about 19,000 are affected, the state government said on Friday.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has ordered releasing Rs 13 crore for the treatment and vaccination of cattle suffering from this viral disease and also to provide relief to those who lost their cattle due to it.

He instructed officials to intensify the vaccination drive, especially in Haveri and Kolar districts where the prevalence is high, a government statement said.

“This disease has been noticed in 4,380 villages of 160 taluks in 28 districts. Of the total 45,645 cattle afflicted by this disease, 26,135 have recovered and 2,070 have died,” the statement said.

It added that Rs two crore had already been released as compensation for those who lost cattle.

“An additional Rs five crore will be released towards the treatment of diseased cattle and Rs eight crore for vaccinating them,” the statement said.

The Chief Minister was quoted as saying that as many as 6.57 lakh cattle have been vaccinated.

As per guidelines of the Government of India, even healthy cattle, within a five km range where this disease has been noticed, must be vaccinated.

“The vaccination must be done on priority in the chronically affected districts,” the Chief Minister said and directed officials to immediately obtain 15 lakh doses of vaccine from companies approved by the Government of India.

The Chief Minister noted that lumpy disease does not spread to people by drinking milk from ailing cows, and awareness in this regard must be created on a big scale.

Steps must be taken to check this disease in badly-hit districts such as Haveri and Kolar; preventive steps should be taken so that it does not spread to other districts. The vaccination drive must be intensified, he said.

LSD is a contagious viral disease that affects cattle and causes fever, nodules on the skin and can also lead to death. The disease gets spread by mosquitoes, flies, lice, and wasps by direct contact among the cattle, and through contaminated food and water.