Saraskana: With lumpy skin disease spreading havoc across the country, six cows have been found infected with the virus in Saraskana block of Mayurbhnaj district triggering panic among the locals. The district administration is on alert about the spread of the viral disease while the Collector has been apprised of the development, sources said. The virus has been detected in six cattle at a time when thousands of cattle are being smuggled from Bisoi and other areas of the district via Saraskana to neighbouring West Bengal.
A cow at Pandara village developed bulbous growth on its body. Villagers suspected it to be lumpy skin disease (LSD), which is transmitted by blood-feeding insects, such as certain species of flies, mosquitoes and ticks. The cow’s owner adopted traditional healing method to cure it, but it has not been vaccinated. Contacted, block veterinary officer Radhakrushna Sahu revealed that six LSD cases have been detected in Saraskana area. “Six cows are being treated. The contagious viral disease is believed to be spreading from the neighbouring state. The border panchayats — Jalada, Bhurasani, Bagchuda and Pakatia — are most likely to face the effects of LSD. Vaccination of all cattle in these panchayats has been completed.
Owing to shortage of vaccines, the cattle in Pakatia panchayat are yet to be inoculated,” he added. Locals have expressed concern over the appearance of the infectious disease. They demanded that the district administration and police should take immediate steps to stop cattle trading in the area as a preventive measure. They feared that in the absence of alertness and preventive measure, LSD will affect whole of the cattle population in the region.