The lumpy skin disease has been spreading across the country at an alarming rate in recent days. The disease has already killed 21,000 cattle throughout the country, according to the Animal Service Department. Thus far, the disease has spread in 71 districts, infecting 555,000 cattle, with the rate of infection particularly high in mid-hilly and hilly regions of Karnali, Lumbini and Koshi Province, per the Animal Service Department. According to Nepal Veterinary Council, the mortality rate of the infection is 3.8 percent and there is a loss of Rs 49,135 per animal in the country. Animal deaths resulting from this disease have already caused a loss of NRs 27.22bn.

In the absence of timely treatment, the disease could spread in 25,26,000 animals, resulting in the death of 100,000 cows and buffalos, and causing a total loss of NRs 1.26 trillion, per the council. This estimated loss is equivalent to 7.2 percent of the total budget allocated for this fiscal.

An eruptive, occasionally fatal disease of cattle characterized by nodules on the skin and other parts of the body, lumpy skin is caused by a virus belonging to the Poxviridae family. Morbidity rate of the infection is usually 5-45 percent and mortality rate is usually less than 10 percent, according to the Central Veterinary Laboratory. As the disease can easily transmit from one animal to the other, the infected animal should be kept separate from healthy animals. Such animals should not be taken for grazing with healthy ones, for bathing together in the ponds and should not be taken to local markets and other crowded places, the Animal Service Department has suggested. As for the treatment regimen for the virus-borne disease, it  should be based on symptoms. The infected cattle should be given sufficient water, soft grass, and electrolyte liquids. Lack of proper and timely care increases chances of the infected cattle’s death, warns the department, pointing that calves, oxen, cattle giving high amounts of milk as well as pregnant cows and buffalos are susceptible. There are 74,13,197 cows and 51,32,931 buffalos in the country. The disease has not been detected in sheep and goats. Also, there is no evidence of the disease’s transmission into humans from animals, according to the department. Some of the symptoms of the disease are nasal and ocular discharge, discharge of mucopurulent (containing mucus and pus) with progression of the disease, fever, swelling of joints, swollen superficial lymph nodes, sharp reduction in milk production and formation of skin nodules all over the body. Damaged skin and hides, fertility problems and death are some of the impacts of the disease along with increased treatment costs. The Central Veterinary Laboratory has suggested vector population control, hygienic measures in the farms, awareness campaign and vaccination as preventive and control measures. The first case of the disease was reportedly detected in Nepal in 2020. Symptoms

• Nasal and ocular discharge
• Discharge of mucus and pus with progression of the disease
• Fever
• Swollen joints and superficial lymph nodes
• Sharp reduction in milk production
• Formation of skin nodules all over the body