Delta government says it has recorded over 60 incidents and five fatalities caused by rabies disease due to dog bites in three months in the state.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Perez Omoun, said this on Thursday in Asaba at the inauguration of sensitisation and campaign against rabies disease in Delta.

“Sadly, the state has recorded rabies outbreak in Okpanam and Effurun. Five persons have been reportedly died of rabies between June and September this year,” said Mr Omoun.

The state Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the federal government and World Health Organisation (WHO), embarked on a road walk against rabies disease in Asaba.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and his counterparts in Health, Joseph Onojaeme and Environment, Jamani Ejiro, led the sensitisation and awareness campaign.

Mr Omoun said the theme “All for 1, One Health for All” defined the need for collaboration between the ministries, the federal government and WHO to combat the disease.

He said that given the rising cases of rabies incidents, the state government would soon promulgate a law to regulate the ownership of dogs and cats.

According to him, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has made it imperative to sustain the annual free vaccination programme to prevent rabies in dogs with the provision of funds.

“The fatality would have been more but for the swift and timely intervention of the State Veterinary Services Department, Ministry of Agriculture and the one health team of Delta State,’’ he said.

Also, the health commissioner, Mr Onojaeme, said modalities had been implemented to sensitise the general public across the state.

“In the last two months, we had reported cases of dog bites in the state; the victims were managed, but for those that came late,” Mr Onojaeme said.

The state chief veterinary consultant and director of veterinary services, Augustine Ojogbo, said the state vaccinated at least 6,000 dogs as of December 2022.

(NAN)