Benue govt confirms outbreak of rabies in two councils

The Benue State Government has confirmed the outbreak of rabies virus in Kwande and Gboko Local Government Areas.

Director-General, Benue Bureau of Livestock Development and Transboundary Animal Diseases Control, Dr. Aondoakaa Asambe, made this known yesterday in Makurdi, the state capital.

Asambe said the bureau was alerted to suspected rabies cases following reports of a dog bite affecting multiple individuals in Adikpo, Kwande, and Gboko councils.
The DG explained that in all, seven persons were bitten by the two dogs, adding that the government has commenced contact tracing to identify those involved.
He said investigations revealed that the infected dog in Adikpo was sold to vendors to process for consumption.
“Thankfully, the dog’s head was retrieved and submitted to the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) in Vom, Plateau, where laboratory results confirmed the presence of the rabies virus.
“Rabies is a deadly zoonotic disease with serious implications for both human and animal health.

“According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), over 55,000 people lose their lives to rabies annually, with most cases resulting from dog bites.

“This outbreak serves as a sobering reminder of the need for urgent action to meet the WHO’s 2030 target to eliminate dog bite-transmitted rabies.” he said

Source: thenationonline.net

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