As many as 20,361 animals across Maharashtra have died of LSD since its outbreak in September this year. The spread of LSD has been reported in 3,741 epicentres of 34 districts in Maharashtra till Thursday, with a declining trend now. Out of the 2,98,285 infected livestock, around 2,19,657 have recovered and the remaining are being treated, said the Animal Husbandry Department.
LSD is a cutaneous viral disease of bovines, which is not transmitted to human beings either from animals or through cow milk, and is recorded only in bovines.
Maharashtra Animal Husbandry Commissioner Sachindra Pratap Singh, meanwhile, has issued directions to implement ‘Majha Gotha, Swachh Gotha’ campaign to prevent the spread of the disease, especially as the State Level Task Force (SLTF) found out that the practise of grazing herds and public livestock watering were among the reasons for the spread of LSD.
Singh has also appealed to the cattle owners to be aware and take preventive measures, and has asked the farmers and gram panchayats to follow guidelines for insect vector control, disinfection, and isolation issued by the Maharashtra Animal and Fisheries Science University (MAFSU) on October 7 this year. Government and private veterinary practitioners should treat animals infected with LSD, according to the MAFSU’s revised protocol dated October 17.