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OAVT RRP Submission Request Form Update

In the past, some Public Health Inspectors experienced difficulty in submitting the request form due to an error that indicated the email address didn't matched even though it did. This was due to a programming issue that would not allow any capital letters within an email address. Even if the letters themselves matched, if they were written with capital letters it would result in an error.


Our software developers recently corrected this issue so moving forward the system will accept both small and capital letters in an email address.


Time To Check Your Supply Levels!

We are starting to see an increase in the number of daily collection requests and are fast approaching our busiest time of year (July/August). As per the Rabies Prevention and Control Protocol, 2022, it is important that you maintain on-hand inventory for the shipping supplies as RVTs will be in need of replenishment more often.


RVTs require 2 sizes of bags, 2 sizes of boxes and rigid ice packs. When we start to hit the warmer temperatures in July and August, RVTs will need to use 2-3 ice packs per shipment; therefore, it is crucial that you have them in stock for RVTs.


Example of shipping supplies needed for:

Bat

  • 4 small bags
  • 1-2 ice packs (depending on temperatures)
  • 1 small box


Large Dog

  • 3 large bags
  • 1 small bag
  • 2-3 ice packs (depending on temperatures)
  • 1 large box


The instructions on how to order shipping supplies can be found on the RRP Public Health Portal.


Shipping supplies have been procured through the Ontario Government Pharmaceutical and Medical Supply Service (OGPMMS) to meet the regulations under the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act while keeping shipping costs to a minimum. It is important that only these selected supplies be provided to RVTs.




Dog Bite Prevention

The most effective way to avoid rabies is to avoid being bitten. There is an extensive amount of information available on dog bite prevention. Below are just a few resources that cover a variety of target audiences; including, age and language:


CFIA Report on Rabies in Canada

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has a website with statistics on all rabies cases in Canada (including the MNRF cases reported above) dating back to 1988. They update their website on the 28th day of each month.


As of April 30th, 2023 there has been a total of 548 animals submitted across the country, including 341 which were submitted by Ontario. Of these cases, 16 were positive for rabies, including 4 that were from Ontario.


The rabies positive cases in Ontario are distributed among the following species:

  • Skunk: 4



Visit the CFIA website for more information on rabies in Canada.






Rabies in Ontario - MNRF Report

The MNRF is reporting on their results of wildlife testing (with no human/animal exposure), surveillance and bait drops. As of May 3rd, 2023 the MNRF is reporting a total of 521 cases of raccoon strain and 21 cases (expired) of fox strain rabies in Ontario since the outbreak began in December 2015.


In 2023, the MNRF has tested a total of 1475 animals. Below are the 2023 positive rabies results as of May 3rd:

  • Niagara - 4 skunks



The total number of raccoon strain cases since the outbreak began in 2015 are distributed among the following Public Health Units:


  • Hamilton: 215 raccoons, 112 skunks, 1 fox, 2 cats
  • Haldimand-Norfolk: 30 raccoons, 2 skunks, 1 llama
  • Niagara: 47 raccoons, 50 skunks, 1 dog
  • Brant: 26 raccoons, 2 skunks
  • Halton: 17 raccoons, 9 skunks
  • Waterloo: 2 skunks


The total number of fox strain cases since the outbreak began in 2015 are distributed among the following Public Health Units:



  • Perth: 6 cows, 2 skunks
  • Huron: 1 cow, 3 skunks
  • Waterloo: 1 fox, 5 skunks
  • Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph: 3 skunks


The last case of fox strain rabies was detected in 2018. No cases have been detected in 2019-2022.

The MNRF has launched a new interactive map to help provide more information about where rabies cases have been detected and where wildlife testing has been done. The map lets you select the testing year/s, strain types, and can be zoomed in to specific municipalities.




The Rabies Reporter

The Rabies Reporter is a scientific newsletter produced by the MNRF in collaboration with the Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section of the MNRF, the Rabies Laboratory at the Ottawa Laboratory (Fallowfield) of the CFIA and the Ontario Ministry of Health. The MNRF releases the newsletter twice a year and covers current issues in rabies research and control throughout the province of Ontario.


Click on the link below to read the most recent issue published on April 5th, 2023.

The Rabies Reporter


Rabies Articles of Interest

  1. Rabies in Canada - History, Epidemiology and Control
  2. Need 2 Know: Rabies in Pets Video
  3. Why Is the Approach to Rabies Titres in Humans Different Than in Pets?
  4. Global burden of rabies in 204 countries and territories, from 1990 to 2019: results from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019
The OAVT Public Health Rabies Response Program
107-100 Stone Rd West
Guelph, ON
N1G 5L3
1-844-8RABIES