Lumpy Skin Disease Outbreak: Over 48,000 Cattle Dead in Nepal, Farmer Losses Mount

The viral outbreak of lumpy skin disease (LSD) has led to the death of more than 48,000 cattle in all 77 districts of Nepal. Since its emergence in April, the highly contagious disease has infected over one million animals, causing significant losses to farmers and livestock.

According to the latest data from the Department of Livestock Services, 48,133 cattle have succumbed to the viral disease, while 1,054,055 have been confirmed infected. The provinces of Sudurpaschim and Karnali have been particularly hard hit, and the virus is now spreading to cattle in Bagmati Province and hilly and mountainous areas of other provinces.

Lumpy skin disease, caused by a virus belonging to the family Poxviridae, primarily affects cattle and is primarily transmitted through blood-sucking vectors such as ticks, mites, and mosquitoes.

The infection rate has been highest in Sudurpaschim Province, with 309,964 cattle infected, of which 25,601 have died and 36,392 are still actively infected. In Karnali Province, there have been 217,135 cases and 6,741 deaths, with 32,343 animals currently recovering.

Koshi Province recorded 214,645 cases and 4,814 deaths, while Bagmati Province has reported 127,486 cases, Lumbini Province 84,000 cases, Madhesh Province 52,686 cases, and Gandaki Province 48,139 cases. The death toll has been significant in Lumbini Province (4,000 deaths), followed by Bagmati Province (3,476 deaths), Gandaki Province (1,801 deaths), and Madhesh Province (1,700 deaths).

The widespread infection has resulted in substantial losses for farmers, including the loss of cattle, reduced dairy production, and adverse impacts on farming. It takes considerable time, often 20 to 30 days or more, to treat infected animals successfully. Hill district farmers have experienced greater losses due to the use of oxen in farming while the cases continue to rise.

The authorities have allocated a budget for medication and vaccination of cattle, but no specific program exists to assist affected farmers in recovering their losses. While vaccines can prevent further animal deaths, there is no provision to compensate farmers for the losses incurred by the infection.

Veterinarians have observed that infected cattle exhibit acute fever, eye and nose discharge, excessive salivation, and soft blister-like nodules all over their bodies. The disease causes difficulty eating, leading to immediate weight loss and decreased milk yield in affected animals. Pregnant cows and buffaloes may experience miscarriages, and infected animals may ultimately die.

Fortunately, the virus is not zoonotic, which means the chances of humans getting infected are slim, according to experts.