France has confirmed its first case of lumpy skin disease on a cattle farm in the Savoie department, located in the French Alps. This contagious disease causes nodules and inflammatory changes on the skin and mucous membranes of cattle, and also reduces their milk production. It spreads rapidly through insect bites. French authorities have restricted cattle movement within a 50-kilometer radius around the infected farm to contain the spread. Similar measures have been implemented in Italy, where the first case was confirmed last week on Sardinia, marking the disease’s debut in the country. Regional health officials say the virus may have been present on Sardinia for at least three months but did not spread quickly. Italian authorities plan to start mass vaccination of cattle as soon as possible. While the disease poses no risk to human health, it threatens livestock farming and food trade. Panic is rising as experts scramble to contain this threat in the heart of Europe.
