A rabid stray dog has bitten about 25 people in Sido, Jere and Old Jim Townships in Chipata district.
Chipata District Veterinary Officer, David Mweemba, confirmed to Breeze News, that the rabid dog was moving around the areas and had bitten the 25 on Wednesday and Thursday last week.
Dr. Mweemba says the Veterinary Department received reports on the matter on Friday last week and referred the 25 people to Chipata Central Hospital and Kapata Clinic for post exposure vaccination.
Dr. Mweemba says officers from the Veterinary Department went to search for the dog on Friday, but could not find it, adding that it may have died, because a rabid dog cannot survive for more than three days after biting so many people.
He says the Veterinary Department is sure that the dog had rabies because it attacked a lot of people within a short period of time.
Dr. Mweemba says chances are high that the people, who were bitten by the dog, had contracted the rabies virus.
He says the department will start vaccination of dogs and gunning down of stray dogs once funds are available because the cold season is the time when rabies is common.
Dr. Mweemba urged dog owners to be taking their pets for vaccination to prevent rabies.