Check posts set up to scan animals with lumpy skin disease

The Livestock and Dairy Development Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has set up 12 check posts on different points of the province to protect animals from lumpy diseases.

These check posts have been set up at different cities of the province, including Abbottabad, Mansehra and Haripur.

Livestock Department Secretary Dr Muhammad Israr Khan on Friday issued the instruction to the authorities concerned to depute technical staff on all these check posts for spraying of incoming animals besides keeping a check to prevent the entry of an infected animal.

The official has in categorical terms that lumpy skin disease of animals is not zoonotic, transmitting to humans, and cannot affect humans by consuming meat or milk of infected cattle.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the department while rejecting all such reports circulating on social media regarding the transmission of disease among humans after eating meat or drinking milk, has urged masses not to share such baseless and untrue reports spreading fear and confusion among people.

Lumpy Skin Disease is a viral disease of cattle and buffalo spread through bite of mosquito or parasite and is now a days reported in Sindh and Punjab provinces.

The disease affects skin of the infected animal through creating large size lesion on body.

The livestock department claimed the disease is not harmful to humans and urges people not to spread fake news in this regard.

KP Livestock and Dairy Development Department Epidemiologist Dr Asad Ali Shah said, "The Livestock Department is taking all preventive measures for coping with the outbreak and cooperation of animal dealers and owners of dairy farms is also needed.”

Dr Shah asked livestock farm owners have to arrange mosquito repellent spray within the surroundings of their farms for protection and safety of their stock.

He said consultation is also under process for arranging of prevention vaccination for animals through which livestock can be protection from infection.

Talking about the symptoms of illness due to infection, he said these include severe fever and appearance of lesion on body of animal.

It may be noted here that the Ministry of National Food Security and Research Livestock Wing of the federal government through a letter last week had confirmed that lumpy skin disease had been confirmed in selected areas of Sindh and South Punjab and issued certain guidelines to control it.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2022.