Other Publications
Aussie helps fight ENT rabies epidemic
Mon, 09/01/2008 11:01 AM | The Archipelago
KUPANG: East Nusa Tenggara: Following the failure of the central government program to eradicate rabies in Flores and Lembata islands, an Australian researcher has promised to help fight the disease.
Maria Geong, head of the East Nusa Tenggara provincial husbandry office's animal health division, said her office had recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) to eliminate rabies.
"ACIAR is interested in fighting the disease because foreign tourists frequently visit the islands," Maria said in Kupang last week.
She said her office had recorded that 178 people have been bitten by rapid dogs in the past two weeks, but no fatalities were reported.
A rabies epidemic was first reported in East Flores in 1997 and a record 2,064 cases have been reported through Aug. of this year. During the same period, Manggarai, Ngada, Ende, Sikka, Lembata and West Manggarai regencies recorded 5,043, 3,362, 2,186, 2,999, 747 and 625 cases respectively.--JP
