Rabies outbreak zones reduced to 38

BANGKOK, April 18 (TNA) – The Livestock Department declared the rabies outbreak zones, dropped to 38 provinces from 48 provinces. Department director-general, Apai Suttisunk said that the department cut the outbreak zones to 38 provinces, still including Bangkok. The announcement of the outbreak zones will help control management of animal carcasses or sick animals in the five-kilometre radius of the spots, where the rabies was detected. In an attempt to fight rabies, he said as of April 17, the authorities have vaccinated about four million dogs and cats since October last year, about half of the target of 8.24 million animals. Moreover, the department also controls population of dogs and cats by having about 160,000 dogs and cats been sterilized during the same period, more than half of the target to sterilize 300,000 animals. According to the survey last year, there were about ten million dogs and cats in the country. (TNA)