MORE rabies cases have been reported nationwide this year compared to last year, prompting the Department of Health (DOH) to renew calls for a stronger animal vaccination campaign.
The DOH said 169 human rabies cases have been recorded from January to May 2024.
“(This) is 13% higher compared to the reported 150 cases in the same period in 2023,” it said.
Of the 169 rabies cases, there were 160 deaths, or a case fatality rate of 94.67 percent.
“The status of the remaining nine cases reported are still being verified,” said the DOH while noting that death due to rabies is “inevitable” once infection begins.
Records show that the Soccsksargen region reported the highest number of cases with 21, followed by Calabarzon and Bicol with 18 cases each.
Among the cases reported, 156 (92%) had a history of dog bites, 10 (6%) cases with a history of cat bites, and the remaining three cases reported a history of bites from other animals.
And with rabies considered as a preventable disease, the health department said it is joining calls for the Department of Agriculture to be given additional funding to vaccinate around 22 million dogs and cats against rabies.
“The DOH supports this call for additional DA budget allocation for the widespread animal vaccination program,” said Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa.
He also reiterated the department’s call for the public to get their pets vaccinated against rabies.
“We urge all pet owners to be responsible and get their pets vaccinated against rabies. This not only protects the animals but also significantly reduces the risk of transmission to humans,” said Herbosa.
Rabies is a viral infection that can be transmitted to humans through animal bites or even scratches, most commonly by dogs and cats.
