The Provincial Veterinarian’s Office is keeping a close watch on some 50 residents of a barangay in the town of Vallehermoso who butchered and ate a dog which had earlier bitten a man who died of rabies.{{more}}
Provincial Rabies Coordinator Mardonio Nadela said they do not know for sure if the dog was indeed rabid because they were not able to submit the dog’s head for examination.
However, the people who admitted to partaking of the dog’s were given anti-rabies vaccines after the incident.
For the first quarter of this year, the Provincial Veterinarian Office (PVO) has recorded three positive animal rabies cases in Barangays Pandanon and Dahili, Mabinay and Batinguel, Dumaguete City.
Of the total 46 dog heads examined in PVO’s Rabies Laboratory this first last three months, 10 were tested positive for rabies which includes the seven from Cebu province.
Nadela said dog heads from Cebu have been submitted to Negros Oriental Rabies Lab for examination since its bite center was out-of-order.
Under its rabies eradication program, PVO was able to vaccinate 5,199 dogs from January to February, this year.
In the region, Cebu obtains the highest incidence of animal rabies cases while Central Visayas is one of the top five nationwide in the number of animal rabies cases, it is noted.
As Negros Oriental intends to become a rabies-free zone, Nadila said they are strengthening their efforts on advocacy drive on responsible pet ownership and also submit their pets for rabies vaccination.
Rabies is a fatal infectious disease that affects the central nervous system in mammals. (PIA NegOr/JCT)