"Do Not Touch Fish Cakes Dropped on the Street" Seoul City Distributes 'Wildlife Rabies Vaccine'

37,000 Dispersed in Seoul Outskirts

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it plans to distribute square fish cake-shaped oral rabies vaccine baits in the outskirts of the city by the 30th of next month and urged people not to touch them even if found.

On the 17th, Seoul stated in a press release, "From the 16th until the 30th of next month, 37,000 oral rabies vaccine baits will be distributed in the outskirts of the city to prevent rabies transmitted by wild animals such as raccoons, forming a 157 km quarantine zone."

The oral rabies vaccine bait contains a vaccine inside fish cake dough to attract wild animals. When animals consume it, the vaccine is absorbed, creating immunity.

The appearance of rabies bait vaccine distributed in the outskirts of the city from the 16th to the 30th of next month. [Image provided by Seoul City]

Since the distribution of oral rabies vaccine baits for wild animals every spring and fall starting in 2006, no cases of rabies have occurred in Seoul to date.

The distribution locations include ▲Bukhansan ▲Dobongsan ▲Suraksan ▲Bulamsan ▲Gwanaksan ▲Yongmasan ▲Gwanaksan ▲Umyunsan ▲Yangjaecheon ▲Tancheon ▲Anyangcheon ▲Uicheon. To establish a dense quarantine zone against rabies, the baits will be distributed every 50 to 100 meters along the Seoul city boundary, with 15 to 20 baits placed at each point, covering a total of 157 km.

The city will install banners and warning signs at the bait distribution sites to guide citizens not to touch the oral vaccine baits. If a person touches the bait, their scent may transfer to it, causing wild animals to avoid eating it, and occasionally symptoms such as itching may occur.

The distributed oral vaccine baits have been proven safe even if consumed by pets such as dogs or cats; however, to ensure accurate rabies prevention, it is recommended to have pets vaccinated with rabies vaccines at animal hospitals.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.