In response to the ongoing rabies situation, the Executive Yuan activated the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) for Rabies to closely monitor the situation according to Article 17, Item 1 of the Communicable Disease Control Act on August 1, 2013. The Vice Premier of the Executive Yuan, Dr. Chi-Kuo Mao, was appointed the Commander-in-Chief, and the Minister of the Council of Agriculture, Dr. Bao-Ji Chen and the Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Dr. Wen-Ta Chiu were both appointed the Commanders to coordinate cross-ministry efforts to control the ongoing rabies situation.

At noon of August 1, the first meeting held by CECC for Rabies was convened and the Commander-in-Chief, Dr. Chi-Kuo Mao, personally presided the meeting to review the current status of preparedness and confirm the division of work among different government agencies. Dr. Mao instructed all ministries to put in 100% efforts and focus into the prevention and control of rabies, closely monitor the outbreak situation, adjust response efforts accordingly and ensure sufficient communication with the public.

Dr. Mao stated that rabies is widely distributed around the world, with only 9 countries being free of the disease. Nevertheless, as long as relevant prevention activities, including rabies vaccination of domestic pets and avoiding contacts with wild animals, are carefully followed, the occurrence of human rabies cases remains rare. In addition, when post-exposure rabies prophylaxis is properly administered, deaths caused by rabies are extremely rare. As a result, the public is urged not to panic. The government is working toward a comprehensive approach to rabies prevention and control. The government has planned to procure more human rabies vaccine and human rabies immune globulin (HRIG). Furthermore, to ensure the public has access to the most current and accurate information on rabies prevention and control, Taiwan CDC has set up a rabies website and uploaded relevant health education and health promotion materials, including posters, brochures, and newsflash, to the website.

The meeting was also attended by representatives from the Council of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Construction and Planning Agency of the Ministry of the Interior, the National Fire Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the Environmental Protection Administration, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Tourism Bureau, the Council of Indigenous Peoples, the Council of Labor Affairs, the Fair Trade Commission, the Consumer Protection Committee, the National Property Administration of the Ministry of Finance, the Office of Disaster Management of the Executive Yuan, the Spokesperson’s Office, the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, the Forestry Bureau, and the Endemic Species Research Institute Conservation Education Center.