Carcasses Of Cattle Infected With Lumpy Virus Dumped In Open In Rajasthan

Rajasthan continues to be the epicentre of the Lumpy skin disease (LSD) in the country. In Jodhpur, the second-largest city in Rajasthan, which is the worst-affected among 13 states where the disease has been found, carcasses of cows have piled up in dumping grounds. According to health protocol, cattle dying of LSD must be buried. However, that is not being followed, with carcasses being dumped in the open.

According to official figures, 11.58 lakh animals have been affected in Rajasthan, with 51,681 deaths. In Jodhpur alone, 1,14,882 animals have been infected.

Although the state administration has allayed fears, saying the disease is on the decline, those running cowsheds have refuted such claims. State authorities say about 4,000 cows have died so far in Jodhpur, but local cowshed owners claim that these figures are grossly understated.

LSD is a viral disease that affects cattle and is extremely contagious. It is transmitted by blood-feeding insects, such as certain species of flies and mosquitoes, or ticks. It causes fever and nodules on the skin and can also lead to death, especially in animals that have not previously been exposed to the virus. There is currently no treatment available for LSD.

The disease, caused by the capripox virus, has caused close to 57,000 cattle fatalities nationwide, according to the Centre last Thursday. More than 15.21 lakh cattle have been affected by the outbreak.

The Centre has recommended that states take concrete steps to segregate animals and stop the spread of the disease. In Rajasthan and Gujarat, the illness is spreading fast, despite the fact that state governments have established control rooms in districts to monitor and engage in effective preventative measures.