Ministry seeks vaccine import as LSD kills over 100,000 animals

Prepares summary to be sent to ECC for its approval

Haseeb Hanif July 15, 2022

Workers at a cattle pen in Karachi show the animals infected by Lumpy Skin Disease that have been quarantined in a separate enclosure to prevent the spread of the disease. Photo: Express

ISLAMABAD:

The Ministry of National Food Security and Research has decided to import vaccine for the lumpy skin disease as the so-called virus has killed more than 100,000 animals, triggering fears of milk and meat scarcity.

According to sources in the ministry, it has been decided to seek vaccine for the disease as soon as possible, and for the purpose, the Animal Husbandry Commission – a department of the ministry – has started working with the agencies concerned.

They said that a summary for the import/purchase of the vaccine has been prepared and will be sent to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet for its approval.

There is also a risk of milk and meat scarcity in the country due to the deaths of the animals. “If timely treatment is administered, the death rate could be less than one per cent.”

All Pakistan Farmers Foundation Chairman Syed Mehmood Bukhari told The Express Tribune that farmers had lost tens of millions of rupees due to the deaths of animals.

“Hundreds of animals are getting sick fast,” he said, urging government to compensate the people whose animals were dying.

The lumpy skin disease is a capripoxvirus skin disease found in animals. The disease was first detected in Africa in 2012 and has since then has spread to countries in the Middle East, Asia and Eastern Europe.

In 2019, the disease spread to China, Bangladesh and India. In 2020, various Asian countries such as Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Taiwan, Vietnam and Sri Lanka also fell victim to the disease.

The skin disease is found in animals of all ages and genders, however, small animals are more susceptible to this disease. The symptoms of lumpy skin disease include fever, hyper-salivation, and skin rash. The disease is mainly spread by insect bites such as flies and mosquitoes.

The disease is characterised by a 50mm bulge on the body, head, neck or other organs of the cattle. Grey or yellow fluid oozes out of the bulges which left untreated could turn into sores. In severe cases, the disease could kill animals.

Economic damage is also feared from this disease as it could affect milk production. It is found in cattle in Punjab and Sindh.