A usually docile pet dog bit its owner in Taitung County on Thursday, a few days after hunting a masked palm civet, adding to fears about a possible spread of rabies as more wild animal carcasses were found across the nation.
The dog, which was kept in the mountainous Beinan Township (卑南), attacked its 67-year-old owner while she was working on the farm.
The owner sustained injuries on her right arm and both legs, with the bite on the arm affecting her nerves, the local hospital said.
She was given rabies shots immediately and remained in hospital, while the dog was put down and its body sent for testing.
The dog apparently showed aggression in a way that was similar to the kind seen in rabid animals, Taitung’s quarantine control office said after examining the dog.
The attack took place in a township next to a district in which a man was bitten by a rabid Formosan ferret-badger on July 22.
The cases came after recent confirmation that rabies has reappeared for the first time in the nation after more than 50 years, with many pet owners beginning to worry whether their pets might get infected through contact with wild animals.
There has also been an increase in reports of wild animal deaths, although experts say it may have to do with the heightened alert among the public.
One of the more alarming reports involved a dead Formosan ferret-badger found on Thursday in a rural part of New Taipei City (新北市), a short distance away from populous residential areas.
The carcass was being tested for the rabies virus as of Thursday evening.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS