Number of rabies cases up by 50 per cent in Moldova in 2018

Chisinau, 10 January /MOLDPRES/ - The number of rabies cases increased by 50 per cent in 2018. At the same time, the areas hit by this disease were extended.  

Specialists from the Sanitary and Veterinary Service informed that 91 animals contaminated with rabies were discovered, which is by about 54 per cent more against 2017. At the same time, the number administrative territories where sick animals were detected grew from 25 to 29, with cases of rabies in animals diagnosed in 22 districts from the right bank of Dniester and all seven districts from the left bank of Dniester.   

According to the aforementioned service, rabies was identified in 21 wild animals and 70 domestic ones. Also, for the first time in the last 30-40 years, the rabies virus was detected in a wolf in the northern Camenca district.

In Moldova, the rabies virus is maintained in the wild by the population of foxes, the number of which exceeds the allowed threshold by far, because of the failure to carry out permanent measures of cutting their number. Specialists from the Sanitary and Veterinary Service said that, to improve the situation, it was necessary that the Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment Ministry, as well as the Society of Hunters and Fishermen organize and carry out measures of planned regulation of foxes’ population all over Moldova, encourage hunters to a limited hunting of foxes.