Rabies scare hit Assin Fosu municipality

The Assin Fosu Municipal Veterinary Officer, Dr Robert Asare, has cautioned residents of Assin Atonsu in the Assin Fosu Municipality to be wary of possible cases of rabies in the area.

He urged them to be extra careful in dealing with dogs, cats and other pets while lovers of dog meat must desist from eating the carcass of a dog that showed signs and symptoms of rabies because the virus could be transferred to a human being if the meat is not well cooked.

Dr Asare issued the warning amidst fears of a suspected case of rabies in the area after a four months old puppy developed signs and symptoms of the disease a week after a stray dog attacked it.

He told the GNA that the owner of the puppy observed a drastic change in it as it failed to eat, drink water, mutilated object close to it and became hydrophobia.

Dr Asare added that the owner of the puppy out of fear killed and buried it instead of reporting to the Veterinary officers to conduct a test and advise him accordingly.

The Vet Officer said an anti-rabies coverage in the Municipality will be embarked upon soonest and further asked owners of pets to as a matter of urgency send them to the nearest veterinary office for vaccination against the rabies virus.

On July 16, 2019, there was a confirmed case of Rabies in Canine at Kasoa in the Awutu-Senya East Municipality which resulted in the death of two people.

That notwithstanding, the Regional Veterinary mid-year report for 2019 on the disease and surveillance recorded five positive and confirm cases of Rabies.