4,000 rabies cases in past five years

4,000 rabies cases in past five years

JAKARTA (JP): More than 4,000 cases of rabies were found in the capital over the last five years a city councilor said.

Syarif Zulkarnaen Ginting of the commission for public welfare said yesterday that in the period of 1990-1994 between 590 and 1,396 patients a year were treated for rabies.

This year, up until July, 400 rabies patients had been recorded, he added.

Only half last years' 1,129 patients received the anti-rabies serum, he told the plenary session on the approval of the bill on the control of rabies-carrying animals.

The bill stipulates every animal which has the potential to carry the rabies virus must be vaccinated. It also states the breeding of such animals must be approved by the governor.

Syarif said the growing interest of Jakartans in pets, such as dogs, monkeys and cats, brought about the possibility of an increase in rabies to the city.

"Therefore, the city administration must tighten control of such animals," he said.

The high incidence of rabies could also disrupt the administration's efforts to attract more tourists to the city, he said, calling the administration's attention to the eradication of the disease.

Yesterday's plenary session was led by deputy chairman of the City Council H.M. Djufrie and was attended by the City Secretary Harun Al Rasyid.

Djufrie said that it was necessary for the city administration to take concrete steps to control the animals.

"Rabies is as dangerous a disease as other infectious diseases," he said. (32)