New Contagious & Deadly Disease Going Around S’pore Targeting Rabbits

By
Rae Woo
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Social distancing and quarantine has become the new norm for us humans all over the world, for we have been doing so since February due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

When will things ever return to “normal”, or is this the new normal? We don’t know.

But, of course, in this year 2020 which feels like the last level of Jumanji, it doesn’t just stop there with a fatal disease for humans spreading around – now rabbits in Singapore have to watch out for one, too.

New Deadly Rabbit Disease

On 17th Sep, the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS) confirmed in a news release on parent organisation NParks’ website that a traces of a new disease called the Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease (RHD) have been detected in Singapore.

Thankfully, the disease is not zoonotic, meaning that it does not pass on to humans from animals, and does not pose risks to our health. One is already enough for us to worry about.

RHD is a serious and notifiable animal disease here in Singapore and has been reported to agricultural authorities and even the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

The disease takes about one to five days to incubate in rabbits, and infected rabbits could die within 12 to 36 hours from when clinical signs develop.

These clinical signs include “anorexia, dullness, prostration, nervous signs, groans and cries,” as well as breathing difficulties and discharge from the nose as respiratory signs.

Sadly, there is no specific remedy for RHD, but supportive care can be provided for infected rabbits.

Other countries have also reported cases of RHD, including ones in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and other parts of Asia, including both domestic and wild rabbits.

Detected In Pet Rabbits

Samples from pet rabbits that veterinary clinics submitted were found to contain traces of the virus causing RHD in them on 16 Sep, Wednesday.

It was discovered that there may be up to 11 infected rabbits in this cluster, and eight of them have already died.

Epidemiological investigations are still going on, but none of them was shown to have a travel history.

Vaccines for RHD will be imported and registered with help from veterinary clinics and distributors, said the AVS.

Stakeholders, including pet establishments and animal welfare groups, have also been engaged to share information and advisories on RHD.

They are also asked to implement measures that will curb “the risk of disease transmission between rabbits from different households, including sanitation, disinfection and isolation areas”.

In short, clean, divide and conquer, kind of what we’re doing now for Covid-19.

AVS should also be notified of any new cases, they added.

What Should Pet Owners Do?

For those who may be proud owners of a pet rabbit, here are some advisories from the AVS to pet owners:

  • Contact between their pet rabbits and other visitors and rabbits should be kept as minimal as possible, especially when their health status is unknown
  • Good hygiene practices should be upheld, including washing hands with soap after coming into contact with their pets and other animals
  • As the virus can spread through contact with contaminated surfaces and insects like flies, the rabbits’ housing and environment should be kept clean
  • If their rabbits seem unwell, they should be brought to a veterinary clinic for treatment

Basically, rabbits should be social distancing from other rabbits and humans as well and owners should be keeping good hygiene practices just as one would take precautions to stay safe during COVID-19.

I wonder if rabbits will have to wear masks soon, too.

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Rae Woo
Email: [email protected]