XN000022-1989-07-10 — Page 2

MONDAY, JULY 10, 1989

1

HONG KONG REGAINS RABIES-FREE STATUS

HONG KONG WAS

TODAY

(MONDAY) DECLARED A RABIES-FREE AREA FOLLOWING A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS WITHOUT ANY OUTBREAK OF INDIGENOUSLY ACQUIRED RABIES IN MAN OR IN ANIMALS.

OF

THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT AFTER A REVIEW OF THE SITUATION SINCE THE OCCURRENCE THE LAST INDIGENOUS RABIES CASE ON JULY 10, 1987.

HAS

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION'S EXPERT COMMITTEE ON RABIES

OF INDIGENOUSLY DEFINED A "RABIES-FREE AREA" AS ONE IN WHICH NO CASE ACQUIRED RABIES HAS OCCURRED IN MAN OR ANY SPECIES IN TWO YEARS.

DR NORMAN

CHENG,

NOT

THE DEPARTMENT'S SENIOR VETERINARY OFFICER,

FROM RABIES DOES SAID: "THE DECISION TO DECLARE HONG KONG FREE MEAN THAT EFFORTS TO CONTROL THE DISEASE WILL BE RELAXED.

MEASURES INTO

"IN FACT, CONTINUOUS VIGILANCE AND INTENSIVE CONTROL HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED TO PREVENT THE RE-INTRODUCTION OF RABIES HONG KONG AS THE DISEASE IS STILL COMMON IN NEIGHBOURING AREAS.

CONTINUE CONTROL

DR CHENG SAID THE DEPARTMENT'S DOG CONTROL UNIT WOULD TO INOCULATE DOGS AND CONTROL STRAY DOGS AND STRICTLY ENFORCE MEASURES INCLUDING THE QUARANTINE OF IMPORTED DOGS AND CATS, AND SO AS TO REDUCE COMPULSORY DETENTION OF BITER DOGS FOR OBSERVATION THE RISK OF A RABIES OUTBREAK TO A MINIMUM.

WERE

HE SAID THAT IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, MORE THAN 83,160 DOGS

ELIMINATED. INOCULATED AGAINST THE DISEASE AND OVER 44,140 STRAY DOGS

DOGS WERE INOCULATED FROM JANUARY TO JUNE THIS YEAR, ANOTHER 16, 197 AND 11,083 STRAYS PUT DOWN.

CONTROL OVER "THE GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING TO TAKE THE EXISTING

RABIES AND ANIMAL CONTROL RABIES ONE STEP FURTHER BY INTRODUCING A

IS AT PRESENT IN BILL TO REPLACE THE DOGS AND CATS ORDINANCE WHICH FORCE, DR CHENG SAID.

"

MEASURES TO COVER THE NEW BILL WILL EXTEND RABIES PREVENTIVE ALL MAMMALS. IT SEEKS TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS NOT ADEQUATELY COVERED THE EXISTING LEGISLATION AND THE DEPARTMENT WOULD EXPECT THE REACTION TO BE GENERALLY FAVOURABLE IN VIEW OF THE THEY WOULD GAIN.

BY

PUBLIC'S

ADDED PROTECTION

"THE FINAL DRAFT OF THE BILL HAS BEEN COMPLETED AND IS THE PROCESS OF CONSULTATION.

NOW

IN

"IT IS HOPED THAT THE BILL WILL BE CHENG ADDED.

IN ENACTED

MID-1990,

DR

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