GUWAHATI: A number of domestic animals, including mithuns (gayals) and cattle, have died while scores of others have fallen sick following an outbreak of the foot-and-mouth disease across Arunachal Pradesh. The cases were reported mostly from the Siang belt—Siang, East Siang, Upper Siang and West Siang districts. The animals are getting infected even after being vaccinated, officials said.
“The disease has been reported from central Arunachal district of Papum Pare to eastern Arunachal district Anjaw. Instructions have been passed on to the officials concerned to take some immediate measures for controlling it,” Deputy Director in the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Tachi Taku said on Saturday.
The department could not specify the number of animal deaths but the locals claimed at least a dozen mithuns have died in Riga, Pangkong, Riew and Sitang villages of Siang district. The officials were skeptical about the efficacy of the vaccine after many animals were infected even after being administered the shots.
“We are finding it difficult to control the disease. Officials have told us that even the vaccinated animals are falling sick again,” Taku said. Over one lakh animals were vaccinated in the first phase of vaccination in October last year. The infection is largely among mithuns but some districts reported it also among cattle.