Public warned vs rabies

THE Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) is calling on the public to be extra careful as cases of dog bites tend to increase during summer, adding that it is a serious health problem.

Alfonso Ramosa, chief of the PVO, said dog bite is on the rise during summer, particularly victimizing children as they tend to roam around their neighborhood.

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“Dogs would feel hot during summer and they want to seek places that are cold so we can see them roaming around the streets,” Ramosa said.

With this, he urged dog owners to be more responsible in having their dogs vaccinated against rabies.

Ramosa said rabies is deadly and could kill both human and animals.

The rabies virus, which causes inflammation of the brain leading to paralysis, is transmitted through the animal’s saliva. It enters the human body through animal bites or when a pet licks a person’s skin with wounds or breaks.

“Majority of the cases happened during summer labina na karon nga ting init so medyo mosaka gyud ang cases sa dog bites mao nga magbantay gyud ang public,” Ramosa said.

Earlier, Provincial Board member Jimmy Caiña had passed a resolution urging all municipal officers to strengthen their campaign against rabies in compliance with the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007, which continues to strengthen the foundation of the country’s anti-rabies program.

The Philippines is targeting to become a rabies-free country by 2010. (ALR)