France sees sharp drop in lumpy skin disease outbreaks in livestock

PARIS (Reuters) -France has reported a sharp decline in outbreaks of an illness in cows called lumpy skin disease, with no new cases since August 22, after launching a mass vaccination campaign around the outbreaks, the agriculture ministry said on Thursday.

Lumpy skin disease, a viral disease transmitted by insect bites, causes blisters and lowers milk production in cattle. It does not pose a risk to humans but often leads to trade bans and economic losses.

It is widespread in North Africa and was also detected in Italy in late June.

The number of new outbreaks in France fell from around 10 per week in July and early August to just two per week recently, ministry officials said. A total of 77 outbreaks have now been confirmed since late June, mostly in the eastern departments of Savoie and Haute-Savoie, and more recently in neighbouring Ain.

As of late August, the vaccination campaign has seen over 220,000 animals vaccinated, accounting for more than 90% of cattle in the zones around the outbreaks, and 1,700 cattle have been killed, the ministry said.

France's national cattle herd numbers about 17 million, the largest in the European Union.

Britain and other countries have banned imports of raw milk cheese from France due to the outbreaks, French dairy producers said.

(Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)