Premier Jiang Yi-huah at today's Cabinet meeting requested the Council of Agriculture (COA) to expedite animal vaccinations against rabies to better restrict the spread of the disease.
Meanwhile, the COA should intensify monitoring of stray dogs and cats in high-risk areas, vaccinating and housing them in shelters and encouraging their adoption, stated the premier. Furthermore, school campus safety measures must be reinforced and sanitation campaigns continued, with preventative strategies reoriented depending on the development of the epidemic, he added.
The rabies epidemic has been confined to mountainous areas thanks to the coordinated efforts of the COA and Ministry of Health and Welfare with other ministries and local governments under the leadership of Vice Premier Mao Chi-kuo, indicating prevention measures have reaped preliminary success, the premier said.
Taiwan's first canine rabies infection in over 50 years was confirmed on September 10 thanks to COA surveillance and revealed to the public at the earliest possible time to avert public panic, said Jiang, who commended the agency for this timely effort.