An outbreak of rabies is confirmed in Samtse town after another dog was found with rabies yesterday. The district livestock office also reported several cases in the vicinity of Samtse town where a rabid dog has bitten other dogs. Given the dangers of cross-border transmission of rabies, a rabies vaccination drive along the border areas began earlier this month.
The rabid dog, which entered the country through the Integrated Check Post (ICP) in Samtse yesterday, was shot dead. A veterinary team found the dog carrying the rabies virus in its strongest phase. This is the second rabies incidence in the past five days. The incidence, yesterday, led to the re-activation of the rapid response team and the whole of Samtse town and its periphery has been put on alert.
The vaccination drive, on the other hand, could not have come at a better time. Dogs and cats in the town area have been vaccinated recently. Dogs in the border settlements, which are high-risk zones, were targeted to make them immune to the virus even if there was cross-border contamination.
“If a rabid dog from across the border enters our communities, there are fewer chances that our dogs will get infected with rabies. That is because dogs in our communities are vaccinated for the rabies virus. Our programme aims to reduce the spread of rabies, so we are making sure the vaccine reaches all the communities along the border,” said Dr Chendu Dorji, the Regional Livestock Development Centre under Tsimasham in Chhukha.
He also confirmed that dogs from across the border brought in the recent rabies cases. The vaccine makes animals resistant to rabies for up to a year. Meanwhile, the last mass rabies vaccination was done in the summer of 2019.
“There is a huge duration gap between the last mass vaccination and the current one. First of all, we didn’t have adequate funds. On the other hand, our veterinary doctor got transferred in 2019, and we haven’t got a replacement yet. That is why we could not hold such a mass vaccination programme,” said Karma Dorji, the Dzongkhag Livestock Officer in Samtse.
Rabies, if not treated on time and when symptoms show, is a fatal disease. More than 4,000 dogs and cats have been vaccinated so far in Samtse.
Sherub Dorji, Samtse
