45 die of rabies on Flores island

JAKARTA (JP): At least 45 people on Flores island, East Nusa Tenggara, have died of rabies this year, prompting authorities to issue a warning to dog owners to chain their pets or face their eradication.

Recent lab tests have confirmed that the victims, 43 in Ngada district and two in Ende district, died of the rabies virus after being bitten by stray dogs.

"Dogs in Flores, especially in Ngada, are infected with rabies. They have to be eliminated," Ngada Regent Albert Botha was quoted by Antara as saying on Saturday after a coordinating meeting with East Nusa Tenggara regents.

Botha said out of the estimated 80,000 dogs in the regency, 23,000 have already been "put to sleep".

"We are calling on dog owners to tie up their dogs. The community is aware of this situation," he said, adding that all dogs should also be vaccinated against the virus.

Ende Regent Paulinus Domi also warned that dogs found wandering the streets would be destroyed.

He said that nearly half of the estimated 70,000 dogs in Ende have been killed.

"The best way to end rabies in Flores is to eliminate all its dogs, because laboratory tests show that 95 percent of dogs are positive with rabies," he asserted.(01)