“Rabies area” shall mean any area not less than a county as determined by the director within a region where the existence of rabies constitutes a public health hazard, as found and declared by the director. A region shall be composed of two or more counties as determined by the director. The status of an area as a rabies area shall terminate at the end of one year from the date of the declaration unless, not earlier than two months prior to the end of the year, it is again declared to be a rabies area in the manner provided in this section. If however, the director at any time finds and declares that an area has ceased to be a rabies area its status shall terminate upon the date of the declaration.