Animal bite cases continue to see an upward trend across all provinces
and highly-urbanized cities in Central Luzon from 2021 to 2023, based on
the data from the Department of Health (DOH).
As a result, human rabies cases correspondingly increase during the same
period. With this, DOH once again asks the public to put more attention
to rabies as a serious public health problem in the Philippines, with
100 percent fatality.
The Rabies Situation in Central Luzon
DOH Central Luzon Center for Health Development (CLCHD) Infectious
Diseases Cluster nurse Joseph Michael Manlutac explained that rabies is
a zoonotic disease caused by lyssavirus, which is usually found in the
saliva of infected dogs and cats.
“About 99 percent of rabies cases come from dogs, while the second most
common cause of the virus are cats. However, we should take note that
not all dogs and cats are carriers of the virus. Also, other
warm-blooded animals like bats, pigs, cows, skunks, and raccoons can be
infected with it,” he said.
The most common mode of transmission is through animal bite or scratch
from rabid animals. However, DOH said that the virus can also be
acquired through organ transplant from people who died of the disease.
“Eating raw meat of infected animals can be another mode of
transmission. That is the reason why we do not encourage the public to
eat meat of dogs and cats,” Manlutac said.
In Central Luzon, DOH recorded a 22 percent increase or a total of
267,191 animal bite cases in 2023, compared to only 216,293 cases in the
previous year. One-fifth of these came from Bulacan, followed by
Pampanga and Nueva Ecija.
“In terms of deaths attributed to human rabies, we also recorded an 8
percent increase or 54 deaths in 2023. Almost half of these deaths or 43
percent were from the province of Bulacan alone,” Manlutac said.
The Philippines is one of the countries with the most number of rabies
cases. Globally, one person dies due to rabies every 15 minutes and a
quarter of these deaths occur among children.
The Effect of Human Rabies
Rabies causes immense suffering to humans and animals inflicted with it,
especially when they reach the moment of lucidity.
Those who get infected with the virus will initially experience
headache, flu-like fever, and pain and swelling of the wound although it
has healed.
At later stages, the patient will likely experience irritability,
anxiety, being lethargic or aggressive, and fear of water, air, and
light.
Aside from the physical burden it brings, it has significant economic
impacts as it afflicts the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.
According to the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, rabies is a disease
of poverty because it continues to be a daily threat for millions of
people, predominantly in poor communities that do not have access to
vaccinations, post-exposure treatment or live in areas with weak human
and animal health infrastructures.
Intensifying Rabies Control and Prevention
DOH highlights that the action and contribution of each individual,
family, community, and national government agency is important when it
comes to rabies control and prevention.
“By 2030, our goal is to have zero deaths related to dog-mediated
rabies. A very crucial factor to achieve this is the concept of
responsible pet ownership because when there are no bites, there will be
no rabies cases. When there is no exposure to infected saliva, there
will be no rabies cases,” Manlutac said.
With this, he urged fur parents to commit to take good care of their
pets by not hurting them and by subjecting them to vaccination to stop
transmission and save lives.
“Your pets are your responsibility. When you become responsible pet
owners, you do not only take care of your pets but also of the whole
community from rabies,” he pressed.
For humans, DOH also emphasized the importance of going immediately to
the nearest animal bite treatment facility once exposed to suspected
infected animals.
“Upon assessment, health care workers will decide what kind of vaccine
and how many doses will be administered. It is important to avail of the
post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), to complete the recommended doses, and
comply with the schedule given by your animal bite treatment center to
prevent rabies death,” Manlutac said.
In Central Luzon, an 86 percent PEP completion rate and 84 percent
Rabies Immunoglobulin Coverage was recorded last year.
The DOH also warned against common myths and practices like pagtandok,
putting coins, stone or garlic, sucking the wound bite, or further
cutting the wound, as these can cause additional harm to the body and
can never cure rabies.
Since children are also more vulnerable to rabies, the health agency
appeals to parents to not scold their children so they will not keep it
from them in case they get bitten by animals.
“Parents should explain well to their children how to take precaution.
The most important thing to teach children is to inform their parents
and elders of these circumstances that they were bitten for immediate
action,” he said.
March is declared as Rabies Awareness Month in the Philippines by virtue
of Executive Order No. 84 signed in 1999 by former President Joseph
Ejercito Estrada to rationalize control measures for the prevention and
eradication of rabies.