Imphal: Containment zones. Brings back worrying memories from the worst periods of COVID-19 pandemic, doesn’t it?
Well, COVID-19 is history, but containment zone has made a return in India.
Manipur’s New Zoveng village was declared a containment zone on Friday.
This time, it’s rabies.
Authorities took the step after multiple cases of rabies were confirmed in the village, PTI reported.
Identifying a serious threat to the health and safety of people and animals in the surrounding areas, the district authorities have restricted the movement of domesticated pets/dogs in and out of the village, which is located in Churachandpur.
District magistrate Dharun Kumar also directed officials to identify and vaccinate all pets and stray dogs in New Zoveng.
During the containment period, surveillance, door-to-door monitoring and health check-ups will be carried out regularly to ensure that rules are followed.
Further, sale and transport of domestic dogs will be strictly banned during this period, as per the district magistrate’s order. Anyone found violating these instructions will be liable for penal action.
According to a study published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, three out of four animal bites in India are due to dogs, and over 5,700 human deaths are estimated to occur each year due to rabies in India.
