HCM City authorities have urged localities to boost vaccination against rabies and tighten control over pet management.
The municipal people’s committee have asked Thu Duc City and localities to take drastic measures for rabies prevention and control.
Thu Duc City and districts are asked to list all households which raise dogs and cats. Meanwhile, these households have to pledge to ensure hygienic conditions when breeding the animals and conform to anti-rabies vaccination regulations.
Localities need to co-operate with veterinary agencies to ensure a minimum rabies vaccination rate of 90 percent. The city will strictly fine people who have unmuzzled or unleashed dogs in public places.
The Department of Health and veterinary agencies have been instructed to provide regular updates about rabies cases.
According to the HCM Health Department, rabies has killed 410 people in Vietnam over the past five years.
The number of people who come to HCM City hospitals and immunisation centres for anti-rabies vaccinations has been on the rise. During the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday alone, the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in HCM City received nearly 1,900 people getting rabies vaccines.
Doctors said there is currently no effective treatment for rabies, but the disease is preventable through vaccination.
Source: dtinews.vn