By Paulo Loreto Lim

According to the Iloilo Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO), the municipality of Lambunao was recently labeled “most high-risk” in terms of rabies among dogs.

“We are focusing on this town so that, once and for all, we would be able to eliminate or reduce the high incidence of rabies,” said Provincial Veterinarian Silvino Teodosio, Jr. “Veterinarians from the [Bureau of Animal Industry] are currently focusing in Lambunao.”

Based on a 2017 report, around 32 percent of all rabies in the province were reported in the town. A total 37 rabies infections were recorded throughout Iloilo, 12 of which were in Lambunao.

In addition, according to the municipality’s Vaccination Progress Report, 1,657 out of a total 9,075 dogs in the town had been vaccinated as of September 2017.

Recently, the Department of Health-Region VI (DOH-6) noted, there were a total 14 rabies deaths in the region last year, which nearly doubled the amount recorded in the previous year.

In 2016, there were a total nine reported human deaths attributed to rabies./PLL, WDJ