KARACHI: As many as 54 animals have died due to the Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) that has so far infected over 20,000 animals, including 15,100 in Karachi alone, across Sindh, it emerged on Tuesday.

Official sources said that an important meeting was held with Chief Secretary Mumtaz Ali Shah in chair and attended among others by secretary and director general of the livestock department.

The livestock secretary said that the lumpy skin disease had appeared in animals in Punjab and Sindh.

“The disease has so far been found in 20,250 animals in the province, including 15,100 in Karachi, 3,781 in Thatta, 149 in Hyderabad, 656 in Badin, 85 in Jamshoro, 121 in Khairpur, 91 in Sujawal, 64 in Matiari, 35 in Shaheed Benazirabad, 124 in Sanghar, 36 in Thana Bola Khan , four in Qambar-Shahdadkot and two each in two in Tando Muhammad Khan and Dadu,” he added.

The meeting was further informed that so far 54 animals had died in the province due to the viral disease, while 4,751 animals had recovered across the province.

It was informed that this disease had been present in different countries of the world since 2012 and this year it appeared in India, Iran and now Pakistan.

The chief secretary decided to launch a vaccination drive in the affected areas and directed the livestock department to vaccinate the animals affected by the disease.

He said that along with vaccination of animals, other skin medicines should also be given to the cattle and movement of animals from the affected areas should also be stopped.

The chief secretary also directed the livestock authorities to spray mosquito repellent in and around cattle farms with the help of district administration and also to provide awareness to the cattle owners about the disease.

Officials at the meeting said the disease was unlikely to be transmitted from animals to humans.

The livestock department has also set up a helpline desk (0229201913) in Hyderabad.

Last week, panic gripped cattle farmers with the spread of the disease as it hit many farms in the province, particularly those located in Karachi’s crowded Cattle Colony.

According to dairy farmers, the condition of ailing animals is getting worse day by day, causing mortalities in some cases.

Published in Dawn, March 9th, 2022