04 July 2016

HEALTH - 6 Months in and Ontario Still Seeing Rabies Cases

Since the first rabies case was discovered in December 2015, 3,200 animals have been tested for the disease and over 800,000 oral vaccines have been distributed in Southern Ontario.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has been aggressively fighting the outbreak and reports 134 cases of raccoon strain rabies and two fox strain to June 30th.

Of the raccoon strain cases, 122 have been discovered in Hamilton, five in Haldimand, four in Niagara and three in Brant.

The disease has infected 89 raccoons and 45 skunks.

Pet owners are encouraged to make sure their pets are up to date on their rabies vaccinations - which is required by law in the province.

In Canada the most common carriers of rabies are raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats.

Rabid animals may be extremely excited, attack objects or other animals, froth at the mouth, or bite at anything. 


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