Lumpy skin disease, which became an epidemic about two and a half years ago, has become acute again. According to the Animal Services Department as of July 26, lumpy disease has spread to 33 districts. Out of 31 thousand 364 animals affected by the disease, 1 thousand 50 animals died.

Lumpy, seen in some villages of Jhapa's Mechinagar, is now spreading rapidly. The disease has spread in all the provinces except the Far West," said an official of the department. "If it is not brought under control immediately, it seems that the situation will be as terrible as in the past." 

Lumpy disease is a viral infectious disease in buffaloes. This disease spreads rapidly in summer. According to the department, this disease is transmitted by the bites of mosquitoes, flies, insects, and wasps. When an infected animal is transported from one place to another, it is immediately transmitted to other animals that come in direct contact with the infected animal. Experts say that this is also the reason for the increase in infections. 

A lumpy appearance that spreads rapidly should be serious. If it is not brought under immediate control, there is a possibility that it will become an epidemic again," said Manoj Kumar Shahi, vice president of the Nepal Veterinary Council, "one and a half years ago, the data showed that if an animal was infected, the loss would be 49 thousand 135 rupees. According to the study done by

council, based on scientific facts, the disease transmission rate is estimated at 20 percent of animals, the death rate is 3.8 percent and a minimum loss of 49 thousand 135 rupees is seen from one animal. According to the same formula, the council estimates that there will be a loss of 1.54 billion due to 31 thousand 364 infected animals.

'The main challenge that appears to be the problem now is the structure. Officially accurate data does not come from anywhere. Which disease is at which local level? The association does not have any information, it comes out only after many problems have arisen, he said, "The main problem is coordination." The Animal Services Department has only done the work of keeping records. Lumpy disease has spread in all districts except Okhaldhunga and Solukhumbu in Koshi. 24 thousand 861 animals have been affected and 769 animals have died.

Madhesh has been affected in the second. The disease has spread in all the districts of Madhesh. According to the data of the department, 4 thousand 494 animals have been affected and 179 animals have died. The disease has been observed in Makwanpur, Sindhuli, Kavrepalanchok, Chitwan and Dhading of Bagmati. 1 thousand 798 animals are infected in these districts. According to the department's data, 92 animals have died from lumpy in Bagmati. 

In Gandaki's Gorkha and Nawalparasi districts, 61 animals have been infected and 4 animals have died. Lumpy infection has been observed in 5 districts of Lumbini, Nawalparasi West, Rupandehi, Kapilvastu, Arghakhanchi and Rolpa. Lumpy has been found in 142 animals in these districts and 6 animals have died. Disease has been observed in 8 animals in Rukum West of Karnali.

  In Far West, the disease has not been confirmed, the department said. There are 7 labs for disease identification (testing), only the tests around that have become a little effective. There is no information about other places, we don't know how the disease has spread,'' Vice President Shahi said, 'It takes time to identify the disease after getting sick. Since then, many have been affected.' 

Last May, after Lumpy disease was observed in some villages of Jhapa's Mechi municipality, the department appointed a study team under the coordination of senior veterinarian Muluk Upadhyay. Animals vaccinated during the study did not have lumpy disease. Upadhyaya said that those who missed vaccination were infected with lumpy disease.

"It was seen that children who missed vaccinations and small calves got more diseases," he said, "The department will make policy arrangements, the municipality will do the vaccination work." According to experts, vaccines should be given before the disease occurs. In the case of the disease, the effectiveness of the vaccine is not that much.'  According to the

department, 17 thousand 982 animals have been cured after treatment in 3 months. According to the department, 12 thousand 732 animals are still infected. Lumpy was first seen in Nepal in June 2077.

In 2077 and 2078 (two years), 3 thousand 301 animals were infected and 13 animals died due to the disease spread in 29 municipalities of 16 districts. But it appeared again in March 2079. In Chait 2079, 1.5 million 36 thousand animals were infected by the disease spread as an epidemic. And, the disease was confirmed in 77 districts. 65 thousand 441 animals died in seven months.