The Animal Husbandry Department has ramped up measures to tackle the spread of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Alappuzha.
Around 3,000 head of cattle have been affected by the outbreak in the district in the last one-and-a-half months. At least 193 cattle died of the disease during the period. Around 550 head of cattle have contracted the disease and 100 perished in the worst affected Ambalapuzha South and Ambalapuzha North grama panchayats. The disease has also been reported from Thakazhi, Thalavady, Edathua, Chettikulangara, Aryad, Pandanad and Chengannur.
Treatment and vaccination are being carried out to check the spread of the disease. The department has deployed 140 teams in the affected areas. Special teams with doctors have been deployed to the worst affected Ambalapuzha South and Ambalapuzha North grama panchayats. Doctors have been appointed to Chengannur, Ambalapuzha and Veliyanad blocks to deal with emergencies during night.
Minister of Animal Husbandry J. Chinchurani said the department had taken measures to bring the outbreak under control.
District Animal Husbandry Officer A.G. Geo said the department had started a vaccination drive on April 22 soon after the FMD cases started to report in the district. As many as 6,140 cattle in 51 grama panchayats have so far been vaccinated against FMD.
The outbreak of the disease was attributed to missed rounds of vaccination due to the COVID-19 pandemic.