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Lumpy skin disease is taking a heavy toll on the cattle in the districts of Sudurpaschim Province. So far, almost 26,000 livestock died of the lumpy skin disease, the officials said. 

The disease has spread in all nine districts of the province, affecting around 634,800 animals.

Chief of Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Service Expert Centre, Kailali, Dr Hemraj Awasthi, said that the outbreak of the disease has panicked the local farmers with the largest number of livestock fatalities in Baitadi and largest number of infections in Kailali district. Dr Awasthi said that more than 11,000 animals died of this disease in Baitadi district.

Likewise, Kanchanpur district recorded the least number of fatalities among the nine districts in the province.

However, just 630 livestock received vaccines against this disease as per the information provided to the Department of Livestock Service from the Livestock Development Directorate.

"This year's infection in the hilly districts is deadlier," according to Dr Awasthi.

The livestock technicians have suggested the farmers keep the infected cattle isolated. It is said that the disease broke out due to the practice of keeping cattle free in open grazing land in highland areas.

The District Health Office, Kavre has started preparations to control the spread of dengue in the district. The district is at high risk of dengue.

Chief of District Health Office Dr Purushottam Sedhain said that the stakeholders are asked to destroy the possible breeding sites of mosquitoes and regularly clean up the factories. 

The Office is working in close collaboration with the District Disaster Management Committee.

Likewise, clinical and laboratory works are also being taken care of to reduce the risk of dengue spread in the district.

Similarly, the local levels, schools and community level health institutions have been asked to take measures against the dengue.

Furthermore, the awareness raising materials from the National Health Education of the Division of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases Control have been shared to all local levels in the district through different mediums, Dr Sedhain said.

Kavre district had first recorded the dengue in April.

According to Dr Sedhain, so far, 680 individuals are infected with the dengue in this season adding that Banepa Municipality has the highest number of cases with 487 ones.

Police have arrested a Chinese national in connection with the gold smuggling case.

The immigration took the Chinese national under control from the Tribhuvan International Airport while he was preparing to leave the country and handed him over to the Revenue Investigation Department.

The Revenue Investigation Department recovered around one quintal gold from Singamangal on Wednesday.

Police said that the gold, passed undetected through the Customs Office of the Tribhuvan International Airport, arrived in Kathmandu on Tuesday's Cathay Pacific flight.

The gold was brought in Kathmandu by concealing in the brake shoes of motorbikes and scooters.

ALSO READ: Probe committee formed to look into recent gold smuggling case

The Customs Department has formed a probe committee to investigate the recent gold smuggling case.

A six-member probe committee was formed under the headship of Man Bahadur Poudel, Director at the Investigation Section of the Customs Department, said Information Officer Punya Bikram Khadka.

The investigation committee has been directed to submit its report within five days. 

Director General of the Department Shova Kanta Poudel formed the probe committee today to look into the incident.

The Department of Revenue Investigation had seized around 100 kg gold from Sinamangal on Wednesday. 

Six persons have been arrested in connection with the case so far.