BAUANG, La Union – The number of rabies-infected individuals in this town was pegged at 95 including three deaths since the start of the year to date.
Village leaders were ordered last week to capture stray dogs to curb the spread of rabies after Bauang officials placed the town under a state of calamity.
This, as the Dept. of Health urged officials of this town to pass an ordinance on responsible pet ownership to reduce occurrence of rabies and prevent spread of the disease in the town.
“We encourage them to pass an ordinance for responsible pet ownership kasi pag tinamaan ng rabies at di maagapan yan, malamang talaga madali ka,” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said.
Duque said the DoH was helping Bauang officials through information and education campaigns
on rabies.
He added the DOH was coordinating closely with the Dept. of Agriculture especially in giving out anti-rabies vaccines for animals.
He said pet owners should not think twice in giving anti-rabies shots to their animals as it only costs P50 compared to anti-rabies vaccines for humans that costs P1, 500 to P3,000.
DOH data bared regions 2, 5 and CARAGA have the highest incidence of rabies.
According to thee World Health Organization, rabies, is transmitted to humans or animals through close contact with saliva from infected animals. It may be transmitted through bites, scratches or licks on broken skin.
The first symptoms of rabies manifest in the respiratory, gastrointestinal and central nervous system of the patient. In the advanced stage, the patient becomes hyperactive and paralysis sets in. this is followed by complete paralysis, comatose and eventually, death.
WHO added that the most effective protection against rabies is to wash and flush a wound with soap and water followed by the application of ethanol or iodine. Anti-rabies vaccine must be administered as soon as possible.
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