At least 273 head of cattle died from a Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) outbreak which affected 5,024 animals with 3,588 recoveries, while 1,480 are still infected, according to officials in Lakes State.
The outbreak is reported to have infected cattle and goats across eight counties of Lakes State.
The minister of animal resource and fisheries in Lakes State, Samuel Gai, announced the outbreak and appealed to the national government and partners to intervene.
“Today I would like to announce and inform the citizens of Lakes State and the national government, especially the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries and its partners that there is an outbreak of lumpy skin disease,” he said. “So far we have made a data collection and investigation in all eight counties of Lakes State and now we have all the data available.”
Minister Gai urged the general public, particularly livestock owners, to take preventive measures before the intervention of the government and partners.
“Isolate sick animals, clean the cow pens, and minimize random livestock migration. These are the three preventive measures that people are supposed to take before we receive drugs from the national government,” he advised. “We have sent the report about this disease outbreak in Lakes State and we are waiting for a response. This disease is actually serious, it is devastating and it is killing a lot of animals.”
The minister urged for a quick response to “rescue the few animals we have.”
For his part, James Majak Muorwel, a laboratory technician, said that three of his cattle have been infected by the disease.
“We are now carrying out an awareness campaign in the community. I have treated about 23 cases and there no cow has died during treatment.” He stated. “The number of infected cattle has increased and I do not know what will happen to them, whether these cows will survive or not.”
Meanwhile, Mayak Mabil of Rumbek Centre County said the animal skin disease locally known as “tuuntun” has infected a large number of animals in the area.
“More than 20 cows are being vaccinated daily by veterinarians in Rumbek Centre County and people are also vaccinating their cows in their respective places,” he said. “This disease is killing very many cows and goats. FAO and other NGOs used to provide us with medicines for animal diseases this time they have not given us anything. We are now going for 3 days without medicines to vaccinate animals and we are relying on private veterinary pharmacies in Rumbek Town.”
Another cattle keeper in Rumbek Central County, Dut Gum Dut, confirmed that the disease has infected a large number of cows and goats, is killing calves daily, and spreading to all cattle camps and villages.
He urged the government and partners to provide drugs.