67000 Cattle Dead of 'Lumpy Skin Virus', Indigenous Vaccine Prepared to Cure "Gau-Mata"

DELHI: Lumpy Skin Disease is quickly spreading among cattle in the country and cases have been reported from eight states in India. According to a data of the Central Government more than 67000 cattle have lost their lives to the deadly virus. 

The virus was first reported in July and since then has spread to as many as eight states of the country and Rajasthan is the worst affected state as more than 11 districts in Rajasthan came under the outbreak of the deadly virus. 

The lumpy skin disease is a viral disease that mainly affects cows. The lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) belongs to the capripoxvirus genus in the poxviridae family.

It is spread by the insects that feed on blood like mosquitoes, ticks and certain types of flies. The disease also spreads through contaminated fodder and water.

The symptoms of the virus include fever, nodules on the skin leading to death, especially in animals that have not been previously exposed to the virus.

India's first reported case of the deadly virus was in the Kutch region of Gujarat on April 23. 

The disease quickly multiplied and spread to nearby states of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also have opined that the Lumpy Skin Disease should be declared a National calamity looking at the damage it has caused. Gujarat on the other hand has stopped the transportation of cattle to the affected nearby states. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a meeting after inaugurating the International Dairy Federation World Dairy Summit in Greater Noida said, " Our scientists have come up with an indigenously prepared vaccine to fight the Lumpy Skin Disease and are hopeful that it would soon eradicate the virus from our country" 

The population of cattle in India is 20 crore and already 1.5 crore doses are administered, so the supply of vaccination doesn't seem to be much of a concern for the government.

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