Rabies breaks out in Lusaka

Rabies has broken out in Lusaka with two confirmed cases so far.

Lusaka City Council Assistant Public Relations Manager Brenda Katongola has confirmed the development to QFM News in a statement today.

Ms Katongola says one dog from Mtendere’s Section D died on Monday, September 7, 2015 at the Lusaka Animal Welfare shelter and that results of the specimens sent to the Veterinary Lab at the University of Zambia (UNZA) came out positive for rabies.

She says another case was recorded from Chifwema road off Leopard’s Lane and was put down using euthanol on August 31, 2015 after results from the Veterinary Lab at UNZA confirmed that the dog died of rabies.

Ms Katongola since warned that the Council will commence the exercise of killing unregistered dogs that will be found loitering in the communities.

She has also called on dog owners and members of the public to ensure that they have their dogs vaccinated against rabies.

Ms Katongola adds that dog owners should have their pets confined or safely secured in a fence and that they should have their dogs registered with the Council in accordance with the Control of Dogs Act Cap 247 of the Laws of Zambia, failure to which their dogs will be shot dead and the owners prosecuted.