The Strange Disease Of 63 Cows In Central Lombok With Similar Symptoms To The Plague In East Java: High Heat, Sores On The Nose And Toenails

Head of the Agriculture and Livestock Service Office of Central Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Taufikurahman (Via ANTARA)

MATARAM - Dozens of cows in Central Praya District, Central Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) are suspected of being infected with a virus with symptoms that are almost the same as the mouth and nail disease (FMD) outbreak that is currently spreading in East Java.

"From community reports, it was found that 63 cows suddenly became sick or were suspected of having a disease outbreak. However, none of them died," said Head of the Agriculture and Livestock Service Office of Central Lombok Regency, Lalu Taufikurahman in Praya, quoted from Antara, Tuesday, May 10.

With this incident, his party immediately dispatched a team to provide assistance to the community by taking treatment, because it was still under suspicion.

His party has not been able to determine the type of disease that attacks dozens of cows belonging to the community in the Praya Tengah District.

"The team has gone down to take samples. The results will be out this week. We will tell you later, when the lab results from Denpasar Bali have come out," he said.

From the results of the field inspection, the symptoms of the disease experienced by the cattle, such as the discharge of mucus from the mouth, nose, sores on the nose, excessive salivation and body heat that is too high to reach 37 degrees Celsius, fever and between the toenails are sores.

In addition, the resident's cow has no appetite which causes weakness or not as usual.

"The symptoms are almost the same, but we can't be sure. The chance of recovery is greater, so we take treatment efforts," he said.

With this incident, the local government has issued an appeal letter to all sub-districts and villages, the contents of which include, among other things, if a resident's cow is found with symptoms similar to FMD, residents must report it to the officers who have been alerted in each sub-district.

"We appeal to the public not to slaughter sick cows. Because it will harm the farmers themselves. Please report them to the officers so they can be given treatment," he said.

He said the community's conditions were limited, so sick cows were not isolated or separated from the complex enclosure. Therefore, his party carried out total treatment for all cows suspected of being infected with the virus.

"Sick cows are not allowed to go out, as well as residents cannot be docked. This disease is not contagious to humans, but can be transmitted to other animals," he said.

Therefore, officers from the Department of Agriculture and Livestock have come down to track the disease that attacks the resident's cows. This disease does not attack resident cows in Central Lombok or other sub-districts.

"We are still mapping the affected areas for the tracking process to anticipate a wider spread," he said.