The rabies outbreak in Dewathang Gewog of Samdrup Jongkhar is finally contained. With this, the marketing of milk from the gewog has also recently resumed. Livestock official says they have not received any cases of rabies for the last two weeks.
The first case of rabies was reported last year on 16th December 2019 in the gewog.
According to livestock officials, more than 80 individuals were identified and given anti-rabies vaccination after they have consumed dairy product from rabid cows. Seven more were also treated after they were bitten by rabid dogs and suspected rabid dogs.
The outbreak also claimed 12 cows and around 10 dogs from the locality.
And it also affected the milk group businesses. The villagers who are mostly in dairy groups say that they incurred a huge loss in these past 2 months after the Livestock office disallowed them to market the milk fearing the spread of rabies.
“Some villagers get a profit of Nu 20000 and some get Nu 15000 in a month by selling milk but due to the rabies outbreak we were not able to sell milk and it has incurred a huge loss to them. From selling milk villagers get an average of Nu 8000 in a month,” said Thukten Wangdi, the chairperson of Dewathang Milk Marketing Nyamley Tsokdey.
“Rabies outbreak has caused us a loss this time. In a month I usually earn around Nu 12000 by selling milk,” added Tshering Samdrup, a farmer from Dewathang Gewog in Samdrup Jongkhar.
Livestock official has vaccinated anti-rabies vaccine to more than 600 dogs and cats in the area and they are still monitoring the area.
The Chief Dzongkhag Livestock officer in Samdrup Jongkhar say they will sterilise and vaccinate the stray dogs and cats in the area every after six months and give advocacy to villagers to prevent rabies outbreak in the future.
Kinley Wangchuk
