PESHAWAR: Lumpy skin disease has begun spreading among livestock in several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with animals in Swabi, Upper South Waziristan and Charsadda reported to have been affected, while several have died.
In Swabi’s Razarr tehsil, cases of lumpy skin disease have reportedly been emerging for the past month. Hundreds of livestock in Yar Hussain, Yaqoobi, Dobian and other areas have been affected.
Swabi Deputy Commissioner Dr Tariqullah said the district has a total livestock population of 268,699. He added that the Livestock Department was continuing a vaccination campaign to protect animals against the disease.
According to the deputy commissioner, 14,100 vaccine doses had been administered to livestock between July 7 and September 14, while another 850 doses were currently available.
He said livestock owners had also arranged vaccination for around 40,000 animals privately on a self-help basis.
Meanwhile, three cows have died and dozens of livestock have been affected by lumpy skin disease in Kaniguram tehsil of Upper South Waziristan. Vaccination is also under way in the area to contain the disease.
In Charsadda, three cases of lumpy skin disease have been reported despite the ongoing vaccination campaign.
Livestock owners have called for the vaccination drive to be further intensified in affected areas and for timely treatment of infected animals to prevent the disease from spreading further.
Read also: KP Livestock at Risk as Lumpy Skin and Foot-and-Mouth Diseases Spread
