Import of prairie dogs stopped over fears of monkeypox
The government has temporarily stopped the importation of prairie dogs as pets following the outbreak of monkeypox in the United States, a report said today.
The freeze would take effect immediately, Rosini Alias, spokeswoman for the Veterinary Services Department was quoted as saying by The Star .
The government has temporarily stopped the importation of prairie dogs as pets following the outbreak of monkeypox in the United States, a report said today.
The freeze would take effect immediately, Rosini Alias, spokeswoman for the Veterinary Services Department was quoted as saying by The Star .
She said the department has issued permits for the import of 140 dogs (
left
)between 1999 and 2002.
An outbreak of monkeypox was detected in the US recently, with at least 50 suspected cases.
Exotic pets
US officials believe they have traced the outbreak to a shipment of prairie dogs that included a sick Gambian rat.
Sold as exotic pets in the United States, Gambian rats are native to Africa and known to be susceptible to monkeypox.
Monkeypox is an orthopox virus, a family of germs that also includes smallpox, a much more deadly and infectious disease.
Symptoms include a temperature above 37.4 degrees Celsius, headache, backache, enlarged lymph nodes, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath and a rash. -- AFP
