2,203 cows vaccinated by BMC against lumpy skin disease virus in Mumbai

Amid an outbreak of lumpy skin disease in cattle, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started vaccinating cows against the disease and so far the civic body has vaccinated 2,203 cows in Mumbai.

As per the civic body data, 2,203 cows have been vaccinated so far, while the remaining cows will be vaccinated next week.

According to the notification issued by the state government, the BMC administration is continuously taking various measures in the municipal area keeping in view the possibility of an outbreak of a lumpy virus.

The virus is mainly found in cattle and the pesticide department has also started fogging and pest control measures in cowsheds and surrounding areas.

The instructions of BMC Commissioner Dr Iqbal Singh Chahal and Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Ashish Sharma and Deputy Commissioner (Special) Sanjog Kabare are being followed by the Veterinary Health Department.

According to the 2019 Animal Census, there are 3,226 cows and 24,388 buffaloes in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation area.

Out of these, cows are being vaccinated as per the prescribed priority for the prevention of lumpy.

The Head and General Manager of the Veterinary Health Department of Deonar Slaughterhouse informed that the remaining cows will be vaccinated next week.

The virus has been found only in cows and buffaloes. There is no danger to humans in eating meat or using milk of animals that do not have the symptoms of Lumpy. Animals can be cured from Lumpy, however, the milk of such animals may get affected due to the virus.

As per reports, lumpy skin disease is a viral disease that affects cattle. 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 lead to the death of the cattle.

Meanwhile, providing relief to the livestock of the country, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar on August 10 launched the indigenous vaccine Lumpi-ProVac to protect livestock from Lumpy skin disease.

The vaccine has been developed by the National Equine Research Center, Hisar (Haryana) in collaboration with the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izzatnagar (Bareilly).

Ever since the disease came to India in 2019, research institutes have been engaged in developing the vaccine.