KUNMING - As rabies sweeps across dog populations in China's southwest Yunnan province almost 5,000 canines have been culled in an anti-rabies campaign.

With 5 human deaths in the past three months, the municipal government in Baoshan City is carrying out a campaign to stop the threat, with more than 4,900 dogs killed and 100,000 vaccinated.

The human casualties, one in July and four in August, were reported in four townships and villages in Shidian County. Longling County and Longyang District have also reported dog bites.

The municipal government of Baoshan has issued an urgent notice urging authorities to control the animals and cull stray dogs.

Rabies is a class 2 notifiable disease in China with cases rare in the past half-decade.

In 2006, at least 16 people died of rabies in east China's Shandong Province after a rash of dog attacks.