Lumpy virus reaches Delhi, 173 cattle found infected

New Delhi, Sep 10: At least 173 cases of lumpy virus have been found among cattle in Delhi, mostly in south and west districts, Development Minister Gopal Rai said on Saturday.

He said 45 cases of lumpy virus have been detected in Goyla dairy area, 40 in Rewla Khanpur area, 21 in Ghumanhera and 16 in Najafgarh. Addressing a press conference, Rai said the Delhi government has deployed two mobile veterinary clinics and set up 11 rapid response teams to collect samples.

Four teams have been created to create awareness, he added. The city government has also set up a special control room with helpline number 8287848586 for queries related to lumpy virus.

An isolation ward is being set up in Rewla Khanpur in southwest Delhi for abandoned cattle suffering from lumpy skin disease, Rai said. Lumpy skin disease is a contagious viral disease that spreads among cattle through mosquitoes, flies, lice and wasps by direct contact, as also through contaminated food and water.

The disease causes fever and nodules on the skin, and it can be fatal. Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala on Thursday said the outbreak has spread in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. He said around 57,000 cattle have died till now (Thursday) due to lumpy skin disease and told states where cases have been reported to boost vaccination efforts.