The North Western Provincial Animal Production and Health Department has decided to completely ban the transportation of cattle in and out of the North Western Province in order to control the viral disease that is rapidly spreading among cattle within the province.

Lumpy skin disease, a viral disease of cattle characterised by fever, nodules on the skin, mucous membranes and internal organs, emaciation, enlarged lymph nodes, oedema of the skin, and sometimes death, has now been spread to 34 out of the 46 Veterinary Officer Divisions in the North Western Province.

Director of the Department of Animal Production and Health in North Western Province, J. A. S. Perera emphasized that taking the situation into account, this decision was arrived at to control the spread of the disease.

Mr. Perera, who pointed out that this disease was migrated through India to Jaffna in 2019 and then to the North Western Province through the North Central Province, also mentioned that this situation may have a severe impact on the milk production within the Province, since the milk production of cows will significantly decrease after the animals are infected with this disease.

He also highlighted that the death rate of cattle as a result of this disease is very low, and if the disease is properly managed and the animals are given the necessary treatment on time, it is possible to recover the animals in a period of three weeks.

Dr. Perera also informed people to refrain from eating beef until this disease is brought under control.