Quang Ninh reports an increase of rabies outbreaks

Rabies is a particularly dangerous acute infectious disease caused by a virus that is easily transmitted to humans from animals, mainly dogs and cats. If people infected with the rabies virus exhibit clinical symptoms, the mortality rate is close to 100%.

The situation of rabies in Quang Ninh in the first six months of the year was complicated, with many outbreaks of rabies in dogs recorded in mountainous areas. Low vaccination rates for dogs and cats and the habit of keeping dogs loose cause a high risk of rabies transmission to humans. In particular, hot weather is a favorable condition for the development of rabies.

According to information from the Quang Ninh Sub-Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, in the first six months of 2023, five outbreaks in dogs were recorded in Binh Lieu, Dam Ha, Hai Ha, and Ba Che districts. The number of outbreaks in dogs increased compared to the same period in 2022, in which one case of death due to rabies was recorded in Quang Duc commune, Hai Ha district.

In Binh Lieu district, there were two rabies outbreaks. Specifically, in the outbreak in Binh Lieu town occurring at the end of March 2023, one person was bitten on the hand by a loose rabid dog and was fully vaccinated against rabies and injected with serum.

The outbreak in Su Cau village, Huc Dong commune, Binh Lieu appeared on June 30. A domestic dog infected with rabies bit one person and some other animals. The victim suffered multiple wounds, was vaccinated against rabies and injected with anti-rabies serum, and was treated at the Binh Lieu District Health Center.

The remaining people who are at risk of contracting rabies due to culling sick or dead animals and providing first aid to patients are prescribed to inject five doses of vaccine. 36/56 heads of the dog herd in Huc Dong commune were vaccinated, and the rest were not caught for vaccination. The total number of exposed people is 86, who have been examined, treated for wounds, and fully vaccinated.

Ms. Le Thi Thu Huong, Head of the Binh Lieu Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that due to the people’s habit of keeping dogs loose (over 90% are ethnic minorities), rabies vaccination on dogs and cats encountered many difficulties.

"Communes have set up vaccination teams to catch feral dogs to quickly handle rabies outbreaks. At the same time, require households to keep dogs, not let them loose, and wear muzzles for dogs," said Ms. Huong.

According to Ms. Huong, the dogs are now roaming around in mountainous terrain, so the catch encounters many difficulties; even the dog owner cannot approach it. Along with that, the advocacy and dissemination work for people to vaccinate against rabies for dogs is implemented regularly and continuously, but the compliance rate is not high. Currently, only 67% of the total dog herd is vaccinated.

Ms. Chu Thi Thu Thuy, Deputy Director of the Quang Ninh Sub-Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, said that to prevent and control rabies, people need to have their dogs and cats fully vaccinated and revaccinated every year according to the recommendations of veterinary medicine. At the same time, do not let dogs and cats loose; they must be chained and locked. If the dog goes out on the street, it must be muzzled.

Along with that, people should not tease dogs and cats recklessly. People bitten by dogs and cats must get vaccinated early and get all the shots as prescribed by the doctor. In particular, when being scratched or bitten by a dog or cat, people should not be subjective but immediately go to a medical facility for treatment of exposure to rabies.

In order to effectively implement measures to prevent and control rabies, on May 9, 2023, the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 1066/UBND-NLN3 on strengthening urgent measures to prevent and control rabies in the area.

In which the localities and related branches are required to organize accurate statistics on the number of raising households and the number of dogs and cats in each residential area, village, and commune. Instruct and request the owners of dogs and cats to commit to strictly declaring and observing the keeping of dogs and cats on the family premises, ensuring veterinary hygiene conditions without affecting other people, and complying with regulations on rabies vaccination for dogs and cats.

Quang Ninh province also requires communes, wards, and towns to actively coordinate with local veterinary agencies to organize rabies vaccination for dogs and cats, ensuring that the vaccination rate is over 80% of the total actual herd; and regularly review and supplement vaccinations in the months, avoiding missing dogs and cats.

Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee requests to inspect and strictly handle violations of organizations and individuals who use unrecognized methods or use drugs that have not been permitted for circulation to examine and treat people with rabies or people bitten by dogs or cats in the area, striving to have a rabies-safe area by 2026.