XN000022-1977-05-06 — Page 6

FRIDAY, MAY 6, 1977

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RABIES PREVENTION DRIVE IS GREAT SUCCESS

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+THE GOVERNMENT'S CURRENT RABIES AWARENESS CAMPAIGN WHICH BEGAN ON WEDNESDAY HAS BEEN TREMENDOUSLY SUCCESSFUL,+ THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, MR. E.H. NICHOLS, SAID TODAY.

MR. NICHOLS VISITED ANTI-RABIES INOCULATION/LICENSING CENTRES IN SHAU KEI WAN TO SEE FOR HIMSELF HOW THE CAMPAIGN WAS PROGRESSING.

COMMENTING ON THE RESPONSE OF THE PUBLIC TO THE CAMPAIGN, HE SAID: +SO MANY SHAU KEI WAN RESIDENTS AND EVEN PEOPLE FROM OTHER URBAN DISTRICTS HAVE TAKEN THE IR DOGS TO THE MOBILE CENTRES FOR INOCULATION THAT IN TWO TO THREE DAYS WE HAVE USED UP A SUPPLY OF VACCINE WHICH WOULD NORMALLY BE ADEQUATE FOR THREE TO FOUR MONTHS.+

MR. NICHOLS REVEALED THAT SUPPLIES OF THE ANTI-RABIES VACCINE AT THE SHAU KEI WAN CENTRES RAN OUT TODAY BUT HE SAID THAT AN URGENT S.0.S. HAD BEEN MADE TO SPAIN, SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA AND THE UNITED STATES FOR FRESH SUPPLIES.

SAID MR. NICHOLS, A SUPPLY OF VACCINE EQUIVALENT TO THE NUMBER OF DOSES WE WOULD USE IN AN AVERAGE YEAR IS AT THIS MOMENT BEING AIR-LIFTED TO HONG KONG FROM SPAIN.+

+ THE THREE MOBILE UNITS AT SHAU KEI WAN ARE DUE TO BE WITHDRAWN TODAY, BUT IN FAIRNESS TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF DOG OWNERS WHO STILL WANT TO HAVE THE IR ANIMALS INOCULATED, MOBILE UNITS IN SHAU KEI WAN WILL CONTINUE OPERATION ONCE THE NEW SUPPLY ARRIVES, HE ADDED.

MR. NICHOLS ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTINUE ITS EFFORTS TO BUILD UP SUPPLIES OF ANTI-RABIES VACCINE

IN HONG KONG SO AS TO GEAR UP FOR THE HEAVY PUBLIC DEMAND.

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