The quarantine zone was brought into effect on Jan 17 by order of the new Phuket Livestock Office Acting Chief Manat Thepparat and will remain in effect until Feb 16.
The zone boundaries stretch from Baan Ketho in Moo 7, Kathu in the north, to Baan Bang Khonthi in Moo 5, Rawai, in the south and from Baan Borrae in Moo 6, Wichit in the east to Wat Suwankhirikhet (Wat Karon) in Moo 1, Karon on Phuket’s southern west coast.
The move to set the quarantine follows follows confirmation last week that one dog in Moo 4 Chalong had died of the disease. (See story here.)
Soi Dog Foundation Founder John Dalley noted last week that it was the first confirmed case of rabies in Phuket for years.
The Phuket Livestock Office confirmed this morning that the office is working with local municipalities to prevent any more animals from contracting rabies.
Animals in risk areas are being detained for seven days under observation by veterinarians to ensure they are rabies free, and a coordinated campaign for owners to have their pets vaccinated is underway.
If you find the dogs and cats showing of aggression, bite the people, unusual barking sound, excessive salivation, paralysis, and seizures, you can inform at Phuket Livestock Office on number 076-216934
Chalong Municipality launched its free vaccination campaign yesterday, while Rawai Municipality and the Rawai Public Health Division launched their free vaccination and pet sterilization for cats and dogs today, in front of the wastewater treatment plant at the northeastern corner of Nai Harn Lake.
Rawai Municipality aims to sterilise 35 cats and dogs a day, with no limit set on the number of free rabies vaccinations to be administered.
The free vaccinations and sterilisations are available service from 9:30am to 4:30pm each day until Feb 21.
The Soi Dog Foundation noted in its release on Saturday, “Following the earlier reported rabies incident in Chalong, the Soi Dog Foundation yesterday (Friday, Jan 18) teamed up with the DLD (Department of Livestock Development) and Chalong Municipality to carry out vaccinations in the area (where) the infected dog was discovered.
“Jointly, the team was successful in vaccinating 128 dogs in a swift response to what is hoped to be an isolated case.
“Working alongside the Chalong Municipality and DLD, they carried out a door-to-door exercise, alerting local residents of the specific area in order to perform precautionary vaccinations of their pets, as well as street dogs in the vicinity.
“Soi Dog Foundation, along with the Chalong Public Health representatives and DLD representative, Dr Suthat, are keen to urge the public that this is not an outbreak and are hopeful that it is an isolated incident. However, as a further measure to ensure this remains as such, the team will continue with the rabies vaccination programme on Monday, Jan 21,” the SDF announced.
Chalong Municipality, together with the Phuket Livestock Office and Soi Dog Foundation, will today provide free rabies vaccinations in the following areas of Chalong, as follows:
1. Soi Ta-iad and Chaofa Thani housing estate
2. Chaofa Garden Home, Poonsap Village (Soi Song Khun) and Suriyaporn Place Village
3. Wongsiri Village and Moo Baan Maneekhram
4. Soi Nakok, Soi Wat Luang Pu Supha and Soi Sai Nam Yen
5. Phuket Country Home, Luang Por Chaem Rd and Soi Na Yai
Any people in Chalong wanting to have their pets vaccinated but are unable to make the mobile clinics can have their pets vaccinated at the Chalong Municipality office.
For more details about the anti-rabies campaign in Chalong, people are urged to call the Public Health Division of Chalong Municipality at 076-383775 or 065-6676100, or the Soi Dog Foundation Helpline at 076-681029.