Telangana only state manufacturing goat pox vaccine in India

Hyderabad: Telangana today holds its pride of place as the only state to manufacture the goat pox vaccine in India. The vaccine, which is 100 percent effective against the lumpy skin disease, is being produced by the Veterinary Biological Research Institute (VBRI) in Telangana, with the support of the Animal Husbandry Department. VBRI found that […]

Hyderabad: Telangana today holds its pride of place as the only state to manufacture the goat pox vaccine in India. The vaccine, which is 100 percent effective against the lumpy skin disease, is being produced by the Veterinary Biological Research Institute (VBRI) in Telangana, with the support of the Animal Husbandry Department.

VBRI found that administering the goat pox vaccine will not only stop the spread of disease but also prevent deaths in animals. The research institute rose to the occasion and made an impact when the entire country is reeling under the devastating impact of the contagious disease.

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The disease, which is spreading at a very rapid pace, has killed over 67,000 animals in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh states in the last two months. According to government officials, the impact of the disease in Telangana is very less, compared to other states as all animals in Telangana were already vaccinated.

Witnessing a spike in the number of daily cases of lumpy skin disease, many states across India, including Andhra Pradesh, are approaching Telangana for procurement of the vaccine. The Animal Husbandry Department has already supplied 33 lakh vaccine doses to AP, 7.5 lakh doses to Chhattisgarh, and 5 lakh doses to Odisha. Other states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Haryana also have requested for the stock.

As many states are queuing up before Telangana for the vaccine stock, the Animal Husbandry Department has decided to increase its production to 60 lakh doses in 15 days.

Lumpy skin disease is a highly infectious viral disease that affects cattle, especially cows in India. It is transmitted by insects like mosquitos, flies, and ticks that feed on the blood of the host. It also gets transmitted when an infected animal comes into close contact with another animal and when they move to new places.