NAKHON RATCHASIMA: At least 50 villagers have been vaccinated against rabies after they ate meat from a dead cow which was later found to have been infected with the deadly virus.
The cow, owned by Boonmee Changlek, died of unknown causes on Sept 13. Fifty residents of Ban Nong Khai Hia in Sida district ate some of its meat before tests proved the animal had rabies, sparking fears they had been infected too.
When it died, livestock officials told the owner to bury it after they cut off the head, which was sent for lab tests at Sida Hospital to determine the cause of the death.
Mr Boonmee hired five neighbours to dig a hole in the ground and bury the dead animal. However, the men cut off the two hind legs before burying it and then shared the meat among other villagers, according to officials.
On Sept 18, a lab test confirmed the cow had died from rabies.
All who admitted to having consumed some of the meat have now been vaccinated. Villagers who came in contact with dogs in the village were also urged to get rabies jabs.