Farmers warned to look out for rabies

There has only been one confirmed case in the Cayo District, but tonight government officials are advising all farmers to be on the lookout for rabies in their animals. In late October, tests conducted on the brain of a horse showed positive for rabies and since then, two other animals, a bull from Lower Barton Creek and a cow from Tiger Run, were also suspected of having rabies. Samples from the cattle have been sent to labs in Panama, but those results will not be forwarded to Belize until late next week. Meanwhile, personnel from the ministries of Agriculture and Health are working closely with BAHA to control the spread of rabies and are advising all concerned to carefully monitor all their animals.

Dr. Miguel Figueroa, Veterinary Officer, BAHA

?Nervous signs can vary from circling or animal that has been tame and then they start acting wild, salivating; salivating is a predominant sign as well and paralysis. As I say, some animals will get paralyzed and they will fall on the ground. They are called downer cows and that?s the risk there because farmers would try and treat it, manipulating, giving fluids in the mouth and that?s where the risk is of contracting rabies to humans because rabies is a zoonotic disease, it can pass from animals to humans. So the risk is there and so we advise farmers that if they have any nervous signs to please inform us before they start treating it themselves.?

BAHA?s counterattack against rabies includes vaccinations and vampire bat controls which involve the capturing of the bats in the affected areas and injecting them with an anticoagulant before being released back into the wild. According to the experts, vampire bats are the primary transmitters of rabies. Anyone observing a suspected case of rabies is asked to please contact BAHA or the Ministry of Agriculture immediately.