More cattle die of toxic jaundice in Majuli, 250 infected

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

Jorhat, Aug 5: The outbreak of toxic jaundice in Majuli island have still ubated as more casualties have been reported on Friday.

According to the information from Veteriry department, 42 more cattle have died of toxic jaundice in Majuli on Friday. Veteriry department officials said another 250 cattle suspected to have infected in different sandbars in the island as on Friday report.

Veteriry and Animal Husbandry official C K Sinha said, “42 more cattle have died on today in Majuli. Our veteriry teams have been providing required treatments.”

He added, “There is an acute shortage of medicines here and we have sent proposal to provide sufficient medicines as soon as possible.”  

Around 1,042 cattle died of toxic jaundice in Majuli during the past few days. Veteriry officials from Jorhat and Guwahati have rushed to affected areas and provided treatments to the infected cattle. A five member team of doctors is also scheduled to visit the island on Saturday.

Majuli Sub Divisiol Veteriry Officer (In Charge) Thaneswar Mudoi said, “The situation is still critical as the number of casualty have increased day by day. A five member’s team of doctors will visit the island tomorrow (Saturday) to provide treatment here.”  

A four-member team of scientists from North Eastern Region Disease Diagnosis Laboratory, Guwahati and another five member-team of scientists from the College of Veteriry Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khapara visited the affected areas in the island. Both the teams of scientists after conducting proper diagnosis confirmed that the cattle in the sandbars of the island were suffering from Toxic Jaundice due to consumption of Lanta camara, a poisonous shrub found in the area.