ILOILO – A 28-year-old man from Igbaras town became the first rabies casualty in the province this year.
A stray dog bit his left index finger at the esplanade in Guimbal town, according to Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon, head of the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO).
Days after, the victim showed signs and symptoms of rabies. He was brought to the Western Visayas Medical Center in Mandurriao, Iloilo City where he died a few days later.
“Ginakasubo ko gid nga mag-confirm sang recent death from rabies, the first in the province and the first for this year,” said Colmenares-Quiñon on Wednesday, March 22.
The fatality was also the first rabies case based on PVO data from Jan. 1 to March 18 this year.
In the same period last year, the province recorded five deaths due to rabies: Balasan (two), Cabatuan (one), Estancia (one), and Lambunao (one).
Colmenares-Quiñon is hoping that rabies cases and deaths will not increase this year, especially since the Iloilo provincial government’s target is to be declared rabies-free by 2025 or 2026.
One of the criteria for declaring the province rabies-free is that there must be no rabies cases for the last three years.
This is also the reason why Colmenares-Quiñon is calling on pet owners to be responsible and have their dogs vaccinated.
In its bid to be a rabies-free province, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. allotted P8 million for 20,150 vials of vaccines distributed to 42 towns and Passi City this year.
It could cover 70 percent of the total dog population in the province or 215,000 heads of the 307,578 total population.
The provincial government forged an agreement with local government units (LGUs). The former would purchase rabies vaccines, while LGUs would use their funds to hire vaccinators, provide training, allowances, and other supplies, and inoculate their dog population.
“Gina-encourage kag nagapangbay ako sa tanan naton nga mga pumoluyo nga aton ido higtan kag pabakunahan kag indi pagpalayawon. Tanan maging responsible pet owners, pakan-on ang aton ayam, indi paglagwayon ang ugsaran and possible i-cage naton para indi makapanghalit sa iban,” added Colmenares-Quiñon.
As of February, only 36,026 (11.52 percent) out of 314,494 dogs in the province were vaccinated.
Below is the breakdown of the 314,494 total dog population: Passi City (15,905), Oton (15,440), Lambunao (14,970), Cabatuan (14,063), Janiuay (13,730), Sara (11,408), Miag-ao (10,414), Dumangas (10,216), Pototan (10,154), Leon (10,139), Barotac Viejo (9,670), Igbaras (9,226), Calinog (8,224), Carles (8,001), Ajuy (7,500), Dingle (7,498), Tigbauan (7,357), Barotac Nuevo (7,223), Santa Barbara (7,217), Concepcion (6,492), Banate (6,398), San Dionisio (6,310), Zarraga (6,072), Lemery (6,040), Leganes (6,035),San Miguel (5,596), Guimbal (5,769), Pavia (5,566), Alimodian (5,181), Bingawan (4,487), Maasin (4,789), Estancia (4,683), San Enrique (3,720), Mina (3,691), New Lucena (3,691), Balasan (3,560), Anilao (3,487), Dueñas (3,403), Badiangan (1,951), Tubungan (2,940), San Rafael (2,916), Batad (2,259) and San Joaquin (1,103).
Rabies is a vaccine-preventable zoonotic disease (communicable from animals to humans) mostly transmitted through an animal bite.
In case one is bitten, the injured area should be thoroughly washed with soap and clean water then apply betadine to stop the bleeding, said Colmenares-Quiñon.
People should also go to animal bite centers for proper treatment instead of seeking the help of quack doctors.
Also, when bitten most especially by a dog, observe the dog for 10 days, she suggested.
If the dog weakens, it most likely is rabid and the person bitten should waste no time getting a rabies vaccine.
But an infected dog can transmit the rabies virus even before it becomes ill. It will invariably manifest signs and symptoms of rabies including change in behavior such as unprovoked aggressiveness and excitability, paralysis, and hydrophobia within five days, and die within two weeks, after it gets infected./PN
