Rabies eradication program ends on island

Provincial veterinarian Dr. Hugh Whitney of the Department of Natural Resources announced the rabies eradication program for the island portion of the province has concluded. The provincial government, through the combined efforts of public health, animal health, wildlife and conservation staff, initiated a $2.5 million rabies eradication program in early 2003.

The work carried out through the eradication program included:

• speaking to town councils, public groups and schools throughout the affected area;
• dropping over 600,000 vaccine baits by helicopter on the Northern Peninsula, Baie Verte Peninsula and nearby areas;
• vaccinating thousands of domestic animals;
• collecting approximately 10,000 fox, coyote and lynx carcasses from trappers for testing;
• sampling approximately 4,000 of these carcasses for testing in the laboratories of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency;
• identifying 21 cases of rabies (including 17 foxes, three sheep and one cat) between December 2002 and May 2003; and,
• developing, printing and distributing public education materials.

Since May 2003 there have been no reported case of rabies on the island portion of the province even though the department has tested thousands of animals in the affected areas. That result certainly provides evidence that the eradication plan has worked.

"We are very pleased with the results of the program and feel quite confident that our efforts have essentially eradicated rabies on the island portion of the province," said Dr. Whitney. "In the absence of such a program the disease could have spread across the island causing public health and animal health concerns for years to come."

Dr. Whitney said work will continue on the identification of the source of the disease as well as various analyses of the information generated from the program.

"We would like to thank the many trappers, residents, municipalities, private companies and consultants, schools, enforcement agencies, wildlife, conservation, public health, animal health, parks and laboratory personnel who were involved in the many aspects of the program and helped make it a success," said Dr. Whitney.

For more information contact:
          Dr. Hugh Whitney, Provincial Veterinarian
          Department of Natural Resources
          (709) 729-6879

Media contact: Carmel Turpin, Communications, (709) 729-5282

2004 04 15                                         1:30 p.m.