Pets banned from travel

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: The transport of animals from island to island is to be banned to prevent the spread of rabies, an official here said.

Antara quoted Th. Saelan, the provincial head of the animal husbandry agency, as referring to a 1992 law which states people are forbidden from carrying dogs, cats, monkeys and other rabies vectors to other islands or regions.

Since early this year at least 10 people have died and 200 have been hospitalized after being infected with rabies in Larantuka, East Flores regency. At least 35,000 dogs have been killed to prevent the further spread of the disease, according to the Sikka regency health office.

Transmission of the disease to humans takes place mainly through dog bites, although infection through contact with monkeys has been reported in the border area between East Flores and Sikka.

East Flores regent Henky Mukin said rabies began to spread here after a resident brought a dog from Buton Island in Southeast Sulawesi.

In July the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture's director general of animal husbandry began a concerted effort to stop the spread of rabies. Antara did not report what specific measures were taken. (byg)