Delhi starts vax drive to curb spread of lumpy skin disease

The Delhi government on Monday started vaccinating healthy cattle to prevent the spread of lumpy skin disease, which has so far infected 571 animals in the national capital, officials said.

A total of 275 animals have recovered from the infection in Delhi so far, and the number of active cases stands at 296.

"We have procured 25,000 doses of goat pox vaccine from Indian Immunologicals Limited and have started vaccinating healthy cattle in Delhi today, an official of the animal husbandry department said.

These doses will be administered free of cost. It will take around a week to complete the vaccination drive, he said.

The government will adopt the ring vaccination strategy in which healthy cattle in a fivekm radius of the affected areas will be inoculated with the Uttarkashi strain of the virus, the official said.