EASTERN ONTARIO – Ministry officials are not dealing with a sudden onset of rabies cases in eastern Ontario.
“There is no outbreak in eastern Ontario,” said Jolanta Kowalski, spokesman with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, when contacted by Newswatch Monday.
The clarification from the ministry comes after CBC News ran a story Friday (July 7) entitled “Rabies outbreak prompts vaccine air drop in eastern Ontario”.
Kowalski explained the MNRF will be conducting its proactive annual rabies baiting program next month in order to keep the spread of the disease from New York State into eastern Ontario.
“This baiting is done each summer and is based on the current location of rabies cases in New York. This year, baits will be distributed near the Kingston area. The bait drop which consists of 1 or 2 flights in a single day (weather permitting) will be happening in mid-August and will be completed by a low-flying MNRF Twin Otter which is yellow and black in colour,” Kowalski wrote in an email to Newswatch.
The drops by air would likely happen around Aug. 12-13, 2017, again, depending on the weather.
The City of Cornwall and Cornwall Island will also be baited by hand in August.