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DAVAO CITY— The City Health Office (CHO) here reported an increase in the number of cases of animal bites in the city in the first quarter this year.
Dr. Annaliza Malubay of the anti-rabies section of CHO said 1,606 cases of dog and cat bites.
“Recently there are a lot of people who were bitten by dogs and stray cats,” Malubay said, comparing it with last year’s 553 cases over the same period.
Last year’s figures were also supposed to be an improvement from the 2014 recorded 2,031 cases of animal bites.
Malubay said four died of rabies in the city last year, which was lower compared to six recorded deaths in 2014.
Still, Malubay said that Davao City has a low percentage of rabies cases in the Philippines.
Public health issue
Malubay said that rabies virus remains a serious public health issue in the Philippines.
“In the national level, 200 to 300 die annually because of rabies,” she said.
Malubay said that the CHO is targeting to eliminate rabies by year 2020.
Prevention
To prevent rabies, people who were bitten by animals should do first-aid.
To apply first aid, Malubay said the area bitten should be washed “for at least 10 to 15 minutes under running water.”
She said “there is a possibility that 50 percent of the rabies virus will be eliminated” by properly washing the affected part.
She also said that there are five available Animal Bite Centers in the city for the prevention of death caused by rabies.
These centers are located in Magsaysay area, Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), Toril area, Tugbok district and Paquibato district.
Malubay said that the centers provide free anti-rabies vaccines for dogs and rabies vaccination for the people who were bitten by infectious animals.
“I’m sure that as of now there is available medicine. If there is available vaccine in Magsaysay, then there will also vaccines available in other anti-rabies center,” Mabuhay said.
She added that Baguio district is also in the process of requesting for an animal bite center in their area.
Malubay said that the best way to prevent rabies cases is for the pet owners to look after their pets.(davaotoday.com)
