FW:China: Rabies Kills 312 People in Guangxi

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RABIES - CHINA (GUANGXI)

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A ProMED-mail post

<http://www.promedmail.org>

ProMED-mail is a program of the

International Society for Infectious Diseases

<http://www.isid.org>

 

Tue 11 Nov 2003

ProMED-mail <promed

Source: Xinhuanet, Tue 11 Nov 2003 [edited]

<http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2003-11/11/content_1171676.htm>

 

China: Rabies Kills 312 People in Guangxi

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Rabies has killed 312 people in the Guangxi Zhuang

Autonomous Region in the south from January to

September 2003, a 152.9 percent rise over the total

rabies cases in 2002, according to the Regional

Department of Health. The figures show the impact of

the growing number of pets in the country, which has

long been ravaged by infectious diseases. Local

medical experts blamed the public's weak awareness of

the need for vigilance and the low canine vaccination

rate as the major causes of the [high number of cases

of the] deadly infection.

 

" The increase in pet ownership in Guangxi's urban and

rural areas was the major cause of the rapid rise in

rabies cases, " said Yang Jinye, deputy director of

Guangxi Diseases Prevention and Control Center. Stray

dogs in the rural areas also add to the risk of people

getting bitten, according to the official. There are

currently some 6.2 million dogs in Guangxi, of which

less than 20 percent have been immunized against the

rabies virus, he said.

 

A serious, fatal disease that can be transmitted by

dogs, cats, livestock and certain wild animals and

birds, rabies infects and kills thousands of people

every year in China. Rabies, called " mad dog disease, "

has become the most dangerous infectious killer in the

country, easily surpassing diseases like SARS ,

pulmonary tuberculosis, AIDS, and anthrax. The

ministry's statistics show only 854 deaths from rabies

were reported in 2001, and the figure rose rapidly to

1003 in 2002. Some feared the toll might continue to

rise this year, since rabies outbreaks had ravaged

provinces like Guangdong, Hainan, Hunan, and Jiangsu

this summer.

 

China has loosened restrictions on pets as more and

more people in the nation began to raise dogs as pets

or guards. Beijing's dog lovers could have

restrictions on their pets relaxed and registration

fees lowered after a new regulation approved by the

municipal government on 5 Sep 2003. Registration fees

of 5000 yuan (US $604) in the first year and 2000 yuan

(US $241.93) a year thereafter have been lowered to

1000 yuan (US $120.96) and 500 yuan (US $60.48).

 

--

ProMED-mail

<promed

 

[Along with the increase in pet ownership and the

reduction in the pet registration fee, compulsory

canine vaccination in Beijing and other large urban

centres should be given priority in order to achieve

an immediate reduction in the appallingly high human

death toll from rabies virus infection throughout

China. - Mod.CP]

 

[see also:

Rabies, human - China (Guangdong) 20030721.1783

Rabies, human - China (Guangdong) (02): correction

20030722.1793

Rabies, human - China (nationwide) 20030912.2311]

.........................mpp/cp/pg/mpp

 

 

 

 

 

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