Lumpy skin disease: second outbreak confirmed in Ain, Ministry of Agriculture calls for accelerated vaccination

A second outbreak of contagious bovine lumpy skin disease (CSD) was confirmed in Ain on Saturday, September 6, "in a batch of five unvaccinated animals" after two weeks without any new detections, the Ministry of Agriculture said, calling for vaccination "as soon as possible."

This outbreak is in addition to the 77 outbreaks recorded at the end of August on 45 farms (32 in Savoie, 44 in Haute-Savoie and one in Ain). This viral and contagious disease has led to the slaughter of more than 1,700 animals. More than 220,000 cattle have been vaccinated, representing more than 90% of the animals in the regulated zone, where animal movements are also restricted.

"Despite very good results in terms of vaccination coverage and a significant slowdown in the weekly number of outbreaks, the eradication objective has not yet been achieved," the ministry lamented in a press release, maintaining the axes of its strategy which include vaccination, a regulated zone and the total culling of contaminated outbreaks. A measure contested by two unions, the Rural Coordination and the Peasant Confederation.

"This new outbreak confirmed after two weeks of health peace is a reminder both that our control strategy is working and that the battle is not over," declared the Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, quoted in the text. The ministry also confirmed on Saturday "exemptions for certain movements in the regulated zone, under health conditions" in particular for "the descent of cattle from summer pastures only in the regulated zone, under certain very strict conditions, from the regulated zone to reception sites in the same regulated zone."