THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1986
BILL WILL PROVIDE BETTER RABIES CONTROL
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BETTER PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF RABIES IN HONG KONG WILL BE PROVIDED IN A NEW BILL WITH MUCH HIGHER PENALTIES TO DETER WOULD-BE OFFENDERS AND TO PUNISH THOSE WHO DO NOT GET THEIR DOGS VACCINATED.
THIS WAS STATED BY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (AGRICULTURE), DR THOMAS YIP, WHEN HE ADDRESSED A DINNER MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON NORTH-WEST THIS (THURSDAY) EVENING.
THE NEW RABIES AND ANIMAL CONTROL BILL AT THE FINAL STAGE OF DRAFTING TO REPLACE THE DOGS AND CATS ORDINANCE - WOULD EXTEND RABIES PREVENTION MEASURES TO ALL MAMMALS WHICH WOULD BE SUBJECTED TO STRICT IMPORT AND QUARANTINE CONTROLS INCLUDING A GENERAL REQUIREMENT FOR PERMITS TO BE OBTAINED IN ADVANCE.
COMPULSORY VACCINATION OF DOGS WOULD CONTINUE TO BE A REQUIREMENT OF THE BILL UNDER WHICH OTHER ANIMALS MIGHT BE REQUIRED TO BE VACCINATED AGAINST RABIES.
THE BILL WOULD ALSO PROVIDE FOR STRICTER MEASURES TO CONTROL ALL ANIMALS PARTICULARLY STRAY DOGS, AND EXTEND CONTROLS TO RABIES VIRUS, RABIES VACCINE AND, WHERE APPROPRIATE, TO DEAD AS WELL AS LIVING ANIMALS.
DR YIP SAID: +THESE MEASURES ARE PROPOSED TO REINFORCE OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY TO A RABIES OUTBREAK OR EVEN A THREAT.
DESPITE THE IMPENDING ENACTMENT OF THE LAW, THE GOVERNMENT REGARDED THE ACTIVE SUPPORT FROM THE PUBLIC AS A VITAL PART OF THE DEFENCES AGAINST RABIES, HE ADDED.
DR YIP STRESSED THAT, DESPITE THE CURABILITY OF THE DISEASE, ANY PERSON BITTEN BY A DOG MUST REPORT TO THE POLICE IMMEDIATELY AND THE BITER DOG SURRENDERED TO A GOVERNMENT KENNEL FOR OBSERVATION FOR EARLY AND ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS OF RABIES INFECTION.
+THIS IS NOT ONLY A STATUTORY REQUIREMENT BUT ALSO IN THE INTEREST OF THE PERSON AFFECTED AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE,+ HE SAID.
DR YIP SAID THAT BECAUSE OF HONG KONG'S GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION AND THE LONG INCUBATION PERIOD FOR THE DISEASE, COUPLED WITH THE VERY HEAVY TRAFFIC ALONG THE EXTENDED LAND BORDER AND THE TERRITORY'S FISHING VESSELS GOING IN AND OUT OF CHINA REGULARLY, HONG KONG WAS VERY PRONE TO AN OUTBREAK OF THE DISEASE.
+PRIOR TO 1955, RABIES WAS ENDEMIC IN HONG KONG. IN 1949 ALONE, SOME 20 DEATHS OCCURRED IN HUMANS AND 40 CASES IN DOGS. NO CASE OF RABIES WAS DIAGNOSED IN HONG KONG BETWEEN 1955 AND 1980, + HE SAID.
+RABIES WAS ....