On August 2, 2013, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) for rabies tested a total of 33 specimens for rabies virus, including 13 specimens collected from ferret-badgers in Taichung City, Nantou County, Chiayi County, Tainan City, Kaohsiung City and Taitung County, which were tested positive for rabies virus, 6 specimens collected from house shrews in Tainan City, Pingtung County, Taipei City, and Chiayi County, 5 specimens collected from squirrels in Taichung City, Miaoli County, Yunlin County and Kaoshiung City, 1 specimen collected from a bat in Taichung City, 2 specimens collected from house rats in Taoyuan County, and 2 specimens collected from cats in Yunlin County and Miaoli County. None of the other 20 specimens were tested positive for rabies virus. As of August 2, a total of 90 specimens collected from carnivorous wild animals, excluding 35 specimens collected from ferret-badgers that were tested positive for rabies virus, all tested negative for rabies virus. Thus far, the incidence of rabies in wild animals has been detected in 7 cities and counties in the nation. Ferret-badgers remain the primary animal infected. In response to the identification of new rabies cases in animals, CECC immediately distributed animal rabies vaccines to the cities and counties newly found to be affected by rabies, including 3,000 doses to Taichung City, 2,000 doses to Nantou City, 2,200 doses to Chiayi County, and 1,200 doses to Tainan City to reinforce the vaccination of wild cats and dogs in the mountainous areas and stray dogs.

CECC urges the public that although the death rate of rabies in humans is high, the number of rabies-related death remains low in developed countries where animal bite cases have convenient access to medical assistance and rabies vaccines. As a result, the public is once again reminded not to panic. To ensure the health and wellbeing of the people in Taiwan, the government has established four lines of defense against rabies. The first line of defense consists of cooperation from the public. The public is urged to not abandon their pets and ensure their pets are properly immunized against rabies. The second line of defense of consists of vaccination of front-line animal health personnel, including animal control workers, animal shelter workers, and veterinarians. The third line of defense consists of animal bite cases seeking immediate medical attention and physicians determining the need for vaccination. The fourth line of defense consists of the “Ferret-Badger Bite Safety Program” to vaccinate unvaccinated people who have been bitten or scratched by a ferret-badger in the past year against rabies. CECC points out that the government has procured sufficient amount of human rabies vaccine and human rabies immune globulin (HRIG) and planned to continue to purchase more to ensure the recommended target groups for rabies vaccination and frontline health workers can all receive the vaccine.

According to statistics compiled by Taiwan CDC, between 4pm on August 1 and 4pm on August 2, 2013, a total of 203 new animal bite cases applying for rabies vaccine were received. Of the applications, 150 have been approved, including 26 applications from Taipei, 22 applications from northern Taiwan, 47 applications from central Taiwan, 15 applications from southern Taiwan, 35 applications from Kaohsiung and Pingtung, 4 applications from eastern Taiwan, and 1 application from out of the country. At the time of writing, an accumulative total of 872 animal bite cases applying for rabies vaccine were received. Of the applications, 541 have been approved, including 71 applications from Taipei, 69 applications from northern Taiwan, 146 applications from central Taiwan, 110 applications from southern Taiwan, 93 applications from Kaohsiung and Pingtung, 44 applications from eastern Taiwan, and 8 applications from out of the country. 17 applications were approved for the use of HRIG and 9 of them have received the prophylaxis.

Taiwan CDC reminds clinicians who encounter wild animal bite cases to remember to record the location where the bite occurred, the animal species that made the bite, and whether the animal has been retained for observation. If a patient is qualified for post-exposure vaccination, please contact a Taiwan CDC Regional Center to facilitate the application for rabies vaccines. For more information on rabies prevention, please visit the Taiwan CDC’s website at http://www.cdc.gov.tw or call the toll-free Communicable Disease Reporting and Care Hotline, 1922, or 0800-024582 if calling from a cell phone. For more information on outbreaks of animal diseases, please call the COA’s hotline, 0800-761-590.