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Animal health
Lumpy skin disease has been in India's cattle since 2019, and the answer to it has been vaccination with an indigenous vaccine. More than 36 crore cattle had been vaccinated or revaccinated by September 2026, and the cases reported since July that year have been sporadic and mainly in animals never vaccinated. The disease is spread by biting insects and ticks, and it does not infect humans.
Lumpy skin disease at a glance
Lumpy skin disease
Pathogen
- A virus of the genus Capripoxvirus
- Same group as sheeppox and goatpox
Spread
- Biting flies
- Mosquitoes
- Ticks
Effects
- Generally low mortality
- Does not infect humans
Control
- Ring vaccination
- Movement control and vector control
- Isolation of sick animals
- Quarantine of new animals
In India
- India's first cases were recorded in West Bengal and Odisha in 2019.
- Lumpi-ProVacInd, the indigenous vaccine, was co-developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research's National Research Centre on Equines, Hisar.
What has happened
8 Sep 2026
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying reported sporadic cases since July 2026, mainly in unvaccinated animals, and strengthened surveillance, vaccination and control.
- More than 36 crore cattle have been vaccinated or revaccinated.