FRIDAY, MAY 1, 1987
THE DEPARTMENT'S SENIOR VETERINARY OFFICER, DR NORMAN CHENG, SAID THAT SINCE THE DESIGNATION OF THE INFECTED AREA LAST NOVEMBER, INTENSIVE ANTI-RABIES OPERATIONS INCLUDING HOUSE-TO-HOUSE VISITS, HAD PUT THE SITUATION UNDER CONTROL AND THERE HAD BEEN NO FURTHER OUTBREAK OF THE DEADLY DISEASE.
*THE DECISION TO RESCIND THIS RABIES INFECTED AREA DOES NOT MEAN THAT EFFORTS TO CONTROL THE DISEASE WILL BE RELAXED,+ HE SAID.
+IN FACT, THE DESIGNATION OF THE FRONTIER CLOSED AREA AS A RABIES INFECTED AREA WILL REMAIN IN FORCE TO PREVENT THE RE-INTRODUCTION OF THE DISEASE INTO THE TERRITORY.
+IN ADDITION, THE DEPARTMENT'S DOG CONTROL UNIT WILL CONTINUE TO INOCULATE DOGS AND CONTROL STRAY DOGS AND STRICTLY ENFORCE CONTROL MEASURES INCLUDING THE QUARANTINE OF IMPORTED DOGS AND CATS, AND COMPULSORY DETENTION OF BITER DOGS FOR OBSERVATION SO AS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF A RABIES OUTBREAK TO A MINIMUM.+
DR CHENG SAID THAT LAST YEAR MORE THAN 43 530 DOGS WERE INOCULATED AGAINST THE DISEASE AND OVER 15 200 STRAY DOGS ELIMINATED. SINCE JANUARY THIS YEAR, ANOTHER 14 000 DOGS WERE INOCULATED AND ANOTHER 5 200 STRAYS PUT DOWN.
HE WARNED THAT DUE TO THE UNIQUE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL NATURE OF RABIES, THE THREAT OF SPORADIC OUTBREAKS MIGHT STILL EXIST AND HE URGED DOG OWNERS TO HAVE THEIR DOGS INOCULATED AND TO EXERCISE PROPER CONTROL OVER THEIR PETS AT ALL TIMES.
INNOVATIVE SPORTING PROGRAMME FOR INMATES
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THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS INTRODUCED AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAMME INTO ITS CORRECTIVE SYSTEM BY ENGAGING HONG KONG'S TOP-NOTCHED SPORTSMEN AND ARTISTS TO TRAIN PRISONERS AND YOUNG INMATES.
THE +ADVANCED RECREATIONAL TRAINING SCHEME, BEING OFFERED TO A SELECT GROUP OF TRAINING CENTRE INMATES AND PRISONERS IN A MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON ON LANTAU, WAS LAUNCHED BY THE DEPARTMENT LAST MONTH, FOR DEVELOPING THE POTENTIALS AND TALENTS OF PERSONS
IN CORECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS.
THE PROGRAMME INITIALLY COVERS SOCCER, TABLE-TENNIS, AND PAINTING. IF IT PROVES SUCCESSFUL IT WILL BE EXPANDED TO
INCLUDE MORE SUBJECTS.
HONG KUNG'S .