One calf has died, and 33 cattle have been infected with lumpy skin disease in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur district, officials said on Wednesday. The Department of Animal Husbandry has stepped up monitoring and treatment to contain the spread of the disease.
At least 34 cases have been reported from different parts of the district over the last four to five days. Officials said vaccines have been sent to veterinary hospitals and other centres so that livestock in vulnerable areas can be vaccinated in time.
Lumpy skin disease is a contagious viral infection that affects cattle and water buffalo. It is caused by the Capripox virus and spreads through mosquitoes, flies and ticks. The disease causes high fever, firm skin nodules, discharge from the eyes and nose, and a sharp fall in milk yield.
Officials said a calf died in the Barsar area. Nadaun has reported the highest number of cases at 12, while Bhoranj and Sujanpur have reported two cases each. After symptoms were found in livestock in other affected areas as well, the Department of Animal Husbandry intensified its monitoring and treatment efforts.
Dr Satish, Assistant Director (Project), Department of Animal Husbandry, Hamirpur, advised people to remain vigilant, regularly check their animals and immediately inform a veterinarian if they notice unusual lumps, fever or weakness. Officials said the department has received around 13,500 vaccines to tackle the disease, and these have been dispatched to veterinary hospitals and relevant centres.
Last year, about 16,000 animals were vaccinated against lumpy skin disease in Hamirpur. A large-scale vaccination drive was carried out in 2023 after a significant outbreak, and officials are now continuing surveillance, treatment and vaccination as fresh cases emerge in the district.
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Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Aug 26, 2026 14:12 IST
