Beijing health authorities have designated another 100 animal
husbandry and veterinarian centers as animal anti-rabies
inoculation points.
The city's general animal husbandry and veterinarian station
said on Saturday that the total number of designated units was now
319.
The city is implementing mandatory anti-rabies inoculations
among pet dogs. All dog owners are required to register their pets
with public security authorities. Owners can have their dogs
vaccinated for free at designated units if they present
registration certificates.
Only 550,000 of the city's estimated one million dogs are
registered.
More than 110,000 people received anti-rabies inoculations in
Beijing after being bitten or scratched by dogs or cats in the
first nine months.
The Ministry of Health website shows that 2,660 people died of
rabies in China in 2004, compared with 159 reported fatalities in
1996.
In the first nine months, the country recorded 2,254 rabies
cases, an increase of 29.69 percent over the same period last
year.
Rabies accounted for 46 percent of all fatalities caused by
infectious diseases reported on the Chinese mainland in October,
when it claimed 326 lives nationwide, according to the
ministry.
(Xinhua News Agency December 2, 2006)