||| FROM KOMO TV NEWS |||
The highly contagious, fatal Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus type 2 (RHDV2) was found in rabbits on Lopez and Orcas Islands in San Juan County.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) state veterinarian’s office confirmed the disease’s presence after suspected rabbits sent for testing had positive results.
RHDV2 killed hundreds of feral domestic and domestic rabbits in Island and Clallam counties in 2019.
In 2022, the state vet’s office authorized emergency use of the Medgene vaccine for RHDV2, which WSDA said is now available to all veterinarians in Washington.
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