The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes every September 28 as World Rabies Day as a means of raising awareness on prevention methods.
The organization defines rabies as a virus “transmitted in the saliva of rabid animals and generally enters the body via infiltration of virus-laden saliva from a rabid animal into a wound.”
According to WHO, rabies is found on every continent except Antarctica; however, 95 percent of cases are reported in Asia and Africa.
Rabies is a vaccine-preventable disease and WHO recommends a minimum 70 percent dog vaccination target in order to break the transmission cycle between dogs and humans.
Earlier this year, Bacolod City Health Office (CHO) Animal Bites and Treatment Center recorded a seven percent reduction in the number of animal bite cases in the city.
CHO Rabies Coordinator Gloria Parreño said, based on records from January to May 31 of this year, they have recorded a total 3,723 animal bites cases, which is lower than the 3,991 reported during the same period last year.
She said contributing factors to the reduction include public awareness regarding the limited supply of anti-rabies vaccines.
Meanwhile, according to the Iloilo City Animal Bite Treatment Center, a total of 122 individuals received treatment in the first quarter of 2019.
Situated in the Ker & Co. building, which is located behind City Hall, the center provides treatment and consultation for patients bitten by dogs, cats, goats, pigs, cows, and carabao. It also provided free anti-rabies vaccinations./WDJ