Exercise VAJRA-SAT

About Exercise VAJRA-SAT: 

• It is the national tabletop exercise on Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) serotype SAT-1.
• Theme: It was held under the theme “Detect Early, Confirm Fast, Contain Together,”
• Participants: It brought together 83 participants from 25 States, three Union Territories and key national institutions.
• Organised by: The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), in coordination with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research–National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics (ICAR-NIVEDI), Bengaluru.

Key Facts about Foot-and-Mouth Disease

• It is a highly contagious viral infection that affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, buffaloes, sheep and goats.
• Cause: It is caused by an Aphthovirus of the family Picornaviridae.
• Transmission: It is transmitted through infected animals and contaminated materials
• Treatment: Vaccination is the only effective preventive measure against FMD.