Rabies kills one in Sikka

MAUMERE, East Nusa Tenggara: Dogs carrying the rabies virus in Sikka regency have bitten and infected 13 people, killing one of them, a local health official said on Monday.

Henyo Kerong of Sikka health office said the remaining dog bite victims were undergoing medical treatment at local community health centers.

He said the people infected with rabies lived in seven districts across the regency. The areas affected are Alok, Kewapante, Talebura, Maumere, Bola, Lela and Nita.

The disease was detected in July last year when a villager brought a dog infected with the virus from Sulawesi, according to Henyo.

The local husbandry office has since killed 61,270 dogs suspected of being infected with rabies.

An outbreak of rabies hit the East Nusa Tenggara regency of East Flores in May 1997, killing 10 people. More than 490 rabies sufferers recovered then. The local administration exterminated 170,000 dogs following the outbreak.

Since being declared a rabies-free area in 1926, East Nusa Tenggara saw a dramatically increased population of domesticated dogs. They were used for hunting or as cattle dogs. (yac)