Chipata records over five cases of suspected rabies from 441 dog bites

The Veterinary Department in Chipata has recorded over five cases of suspected rabies from 441 dog bites.
Chipata District Veterinary Officer, David Mweemba confirmed this to Breeze News in commemoration of the World Rabies Day which was held yesterday.
Dr. Mweemba explained that one report of suspected rabies is treated as an outbreak because the rabid dog may have bitten several people who could not report their cases.
Dr. Mweemba says that rabies is a deadly disease which claims people’s lives and urged people to be reporting any dog bite to the Veterinary Department.
He urged dog owners to be taking their pets for vaccination to prevent them from getting rabies.
Dr. Mweemba added that the department managed to vaccinate 65 dogs against rabies yesterday during the campaign, out of a target of 200.
And Provincial Tsetse Control Biologist, James Sikazindu says government attaches great importance to the fight against rabies.
Mr. Sikazindu says this can be evidenced by the provision of the rabies post exposure prophylaxis vaccines in hospitals, which are given for free to people bitten by suspected rabid dogs.