The World Organisation for Animal Health has said that the meat of the cattle infected with lumpy skin disease could be consumed by removing the affected areas.

At least 22,000 cattle, including cows, buffaloes and goats have been affected by the disease in Sindh alone, Sindh Livestock Director General Dr Nazeer Kolhoro is quoted as saying in a Samaa report. At least 120 cattle have died of the virus in the province, he added.

In October 2021, the first case of lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) surfaced in the country in Bahawalpur, according to the Geo report.

It is a viral disease of cattle and buffalo spread through the bite of mosquitoes or parasites. The disease affects skin of the infected animal through creating large size lesion on body.

Following the spread of virus in cattle, the consumption of beef and mutton went down, with the price of chicken crossing Rs500 per kg in Karachi. People were also scared of transmission of the virus from cattle to humans.

To quash the rumours, the Agha Khan University Hospital issued an alert on Friday, stating that LSDV is an infection of cattle and does not cause human disease. It added that the consumption of affected cattle’s meat or milk does not transmit the infection to humans.

The hospital emphasized the importance of using pasteurized milk and well-cooked/boiled meat and milk as a precaution.

KP Livestock Department

The Livestock and Dairy Development Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has clarified in categorical terms that LSDV of animals is not zoonotic, and humans are not affected by consumption of meat or milk of infected cattle.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the department while rejecting all such reports circulating on social media regarding transmission of disease among human after eating meat or drinking milk from infected cattle, has urged masses not to share such baseless and untrue reports spreading fear and confusion among people.

[With additional input from APP]