On Saturday, authorities announced that at least 173 cases of the skin disease had been detected among cattle in Delhi, mainly in the southwest region, but so far no deaths have been reported.
This is the first time the Delhi government has reported a case of lumpy dermatitis in the city.
A senior official said the first cases were detected about 8-10 days ago and "so far no deaths have been reported".
According to him, the government will adopt a ring vaccination strategy in which healthy Uttarkashi cattle will be vaccinated against goatpox disease within a 5 km radius of the affected area.
Scabies is a contagious viral disease that spreads among livestock through direct contact with mosquitoes, flies, ticks and bees, as well as through contaminated feed and water. This disease causes fever and skin bumps and can be fatal.
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According to the Center, the disease has spread to the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, and 57,000 head of cattle have died from it.
Development Minister Gopal Rai told a press conference that 45 skin diseases were detected in Alban Guila district, 40 in Raiola Khanpur district, 21 in Jomanhra and 16 in Najafgarh.
Owners are advised to isolate cattle showing signs of nodular skin disease, which can include high fever, reduced milk production, skin nodules, loss of appetite, increased nasal discharge and watery eyes, among others.
Ray said people were worried the disease would spread to humans. "We have to take precautions, but experts say the strep virus hasn't caused any problems for people so far." He said the Delhi government had set up two mobile veterinary clinics and formed 11 rapid response teams to collect samples. Four teams will educate the public about the virus.
The city government has also prepared a control room number 8287848586 for inquiries related to the disease.
Rai said a quarantine facility for wild cattle suffering from skin diseases had been set up in Raiola Khanpur Gao Sadan in southwest Delhi.
A senior official said the virus was detected in 40 wild cattle sent to a quarantine centre. The pen can accommodate 4,500 cows. An isolation ward was set up away from healthy livestock and mosquito nets were placed there.
"In Delhi, this disease is unlikely to spread as far as it seems in other states as the number of cases is small and under control. We are reacting immediately and taking all necessary measures to limit the spread of this disease."
Other officials say the virus generally doesn't kill livestock and the mortality rate is only one to two percent. According to him, the high mortality rate in Rajasthan and Gujarat could be due to the poor health of the livestock and the development of secondary infections.
"If the infected cattle are isolated and well cared for, the probability of death is low. Wounds should be disinfected regularly," the official said.
Rai said the government had launched the "Jan Jagrity Abhiyan" campaign to spread awareness of the disease.
He said keepers should maintain cleanliness around livestock, keep hands sterile, use disinfectant regularly to kill mosquitoes and flies, isolate infected livestock, and provide them with nutritious food.
When infected cattle die, they are buried in the ground with salt and lime. If your pet is sick, call the emergency line. "Don't treat your own livestock and seek advice from a veterinarian," said the minister.