The State Laboratory of Agriculture has confirmed a case of rabies in pathological material taken from a wild animal, a fox, in Tsalka Municipality.

According to the National Food Agency, a quarantine has been declared both at the site of infection and across the surrounding at-risk area.

“On April 6 of this year, the State Laboratory of Agriculture confirmed a case of rabies in pathological material taken from a wild animal (fox) in Tsalka Municipality, in the area adjacent to 132 Queen Tamar Street, Tsalka. An inspection conducted by an officer from the National Food Agency’s Kvemo Kartli Department established that four stray dogs had torn apart the rabies-infected fox.

In order to contain and eliminate the spread of the disease, a quarantine has been declared at the site of infection and in the surrounding at-risk area by order of the State Commissioner for Kvemo Kartli. Quarantine measures are currently in progress, including the disinfection of the affected area, vaccination of susceptible animals, monitoring of animal movement, and the isolation and transfer of animals suspected of rabies infection to shelters.

Three laboratory-confirmed cases of rabies have been recorded across the country so far this year.

The National Food Agency conducts free anti-rabies vaccinations each year, inoculating up to 300,000 domestic pets, including dogs and cats. In the interest of preventing rabies and averting risk to the public, the Agency urges all residents to have their pets vaccinated against rabies every year. International experience and research in rabies control consistently confirms that managing stray and semi-stray dog populations and vaccinating them plays a significant role in reducing and ultimately eliminating the spread of the disease,” the National Food Agency statement reads.