Rabies is complicated
In recent years, Gia Lai province has always led the country in death rate due to rabies. Many tragic deaths due to rabies have occurred, but in fact people's awareness of this disease is still very subjective, making the epidemic more and more complicated. According to statistics, the total population of dogs and cats in Gia Lai province is currently over 217,000. However, the vaccination rate in the total herd is very low, only reaching about 20%.
Mr. Ho Ngoc Gia - Director of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) of Gia Lai province - confirmed that in 2023, Gia Lai will have 13 fatal cases of rabies. By 2024, this number has not stopped but continues to record 5 deaths due to rabies. More worryingly, because of subjectivity and lack of information, people are exposed to rabies without going to medical facilities for advice, leading to an outbreak
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For example, the most recent death due to rabies was recorded in O Dat village, Ia Bang commune, Dak Doa district on August 8, 2024. The case of death was Mr. D. In addition to the death case, 11 cases of exposure were also recorded.
Previously, Mr. D was bitten by his family's dog and went to a medical facility to treat his wound, but did not report it and was not vaccinated with anti-rabies serum or disease prevention vaccine. After biting Mr. D, the dog was beaten to death by his family and eaten. Investigation results showed that it was verified that 11 people were exposed. Among them, 2 people were at very high risk due to directly killing dogs, and 9 people in contact died from rabies.
Meanwhile, in Dak Lak province, rabies is also complicated. According to the CDC of Dak Lak province, on average each year the locality has 5 deaths due to rabies and about 6,000 people bitten by dogs and cats have to go for preventive treatment.
From the beginning of 2024 until now, the entire Dak Lak province has recorded 5 deaths due to rabies. These cases are subjectively not vaccinated after being bitten by a dog or cat. The number of people exposed to the rabies virus is at risk of increasing in remote areas.
Management and supervision are still lax
Mr. Hoang Hai Phuc - Director of Dak Lak Provincial CDC - said: "Communication work is carried out but is very limited, mainly using some pictures allocated by higher levels. Other activities such as reporting to Local authorities and information exchange with veterinary agencies have not been carried out regularly. In addition, vaccines are purchased by injection sites from different sources, and supervision and management at injection sites are not carried out. The direction of rabies prevention and control is not really drastic in some localities. In particular, there is no close coordination between the health sector, veterinary medicine and local departments in prevention and control rabies such as monitoring, exchanging information, coordinating outbreak investigations, and managing dog herds".
Mr. Ho Ngoc Gia - Director of Gia Lai Provincial CDC - added: "In the coming time, the provincial health sector will pay attention to supporting funding for vaccination and anti-rabies serum for preventive treatment for poor people in areas with high risk such as ethnic minority areas, remote areas. People and especially students, when bitten by a dog or cat causing injury, need to immediately go to the medical center for advice, vaccination, anti-rabies serum, and do not arbitrarily seek outside treatment or treatment. Self-treat at home.
Once rabies occurs, the death rate is almost 100% for both humans and animals. However, rabies in humans can be prevented and treated with vaccines and anti-rabies serum. Vaccination against rabies for both humans and animals (mainly dogs) is an effective measure to prevent rabies. However, people still have the habit of raising free-roaming dogs and cats, not proactively vaccinating pets against rabies and not vaccinating when scratched or bitten by a dog or cat... making the risk of rabies continue to increase and occur. become more complicated in Gia Lai in the near future."
