Over 3000 cattle have perished in several regions of the western India state of Gujarat as a result of a viral disease, and about 50,000 cattle are infected, according to a senior official in the animal husbandry department.

The putrid smell of decaying animal carcasses and the lurking danger of a disease outbreak have only made things worse for the locals in areas where lumpy skin disease (LSD) is prevalent, The Times of India reported.

Kutch, a town in Gujarat, is struggling with carcass disposal. Even as the municipality attempts to identify disposal options, videos showing hundreds of dead cows lying in the open surfaced online Saturday.

Hundreds of cows have been dying in the neighboring northern state of Rajasthan for the last couple of months, but the state government is slowly waking up to the damage done by LSD. Nine regions in the state have been affected by the viral illness, most of which are in close proximity to Gujarat, the disease's epicenter.

While the mortality numbers are not as high as in Gujarat, it still remains a concern for the neighboring state, Firstpost reported. The Gujarat state administration has dispatched medical personnel and provided funding for urgent medication.

The misery of the locals in the regions afflicted by the contagious disease has only been exacerbated by the awful smell of rotting carcasses and a major threat of disease outbreaks.

Trigger warning: The following video contains images/videos of animals that can be disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised.

Although LSD doesn't spread to humans, the milk of an infected cow should be thoroughly pasteurized before consumption, Outlook India reported.

In Kutch, 37,000 animals were infected with LSD in total, and 1,010 of them perished, according to government statistics reported by the Hindustan Times. The government has vaccinated around 165,000 animals. According to the agriculture minister for Gujarat, 1240 cattle have already perished in the state as a result of the disease.

Yajuvendrasinh Jadeja, a politician in Kutch said the actual numbers are far higher than what the government is making official. "If you visit the town, you can find cattle bodies lying on streets, Jadeja told Shillong Times, "Municipality is running short of manpower and infrastructure to collect bodies and dispose of."

Jadeja added that since there is no systematic way of disposal for the carcasses, the dead animals are simply being dumped on the outskirts of the towns or villages.

Initially, the local authorities were unable to ascertain the exact number of deaths but on realizing the magnitude, deep pits were dug with two metric tonnes of salt to dispose of the dead cows.

The civic bodies are unable to cope with the rising death toll. Due to lack of awareness, the fear of contracting the disease has also scared the individuals who would previously collect cow bodies for tannery, The Times of India reported.

Blood-sucking insects, specific fly species, contaminated food and drink are the main vectors for the viral disease's propagation. Acute fever, drainage from the eyes and nose, salivation, soft blister-like nodules all over the body, significantly decreased milk production, and occasionally even death of the animal are symptoms of the illness.