Nghe An: The pain from rabies continues to linger

3 months, 3 deaths due to rabies

On March 26, the Northwest Regional General Hospital admitted a 6-year-old patient to the emergency room with very severe injuries to his arm. Doctors had to work very hard to find treatment solutions to save the patient's arm. After receiving information from his family, the doctors learned that the patient had been bitten by a German Shepherd dog while playing at a friend's house. Fortunately, the homeowner arrived in time to stop him, otherwise the consequences would have been dire...

The mortality rate for children with rabies is almost 100%. Photo: Hoang Yen

Less fortunately, since the beginning of the year, Nghe An has had 3 deaths due torabies. The first case is LBT (born in 2019, in Chau Thon commune, Que Phong district). On February 18, T. had a high fever accompanied by vomiting, convulsions, fear of water, fear of wind, fear of light, phlegm, insomnia, and running away. The family took the child to Que Phong District Medical Center and transferred him to the upper level, Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital. The doctor diagnosed him with typical rabies. T. died on February 20. The conclusion of the epidemiological investigation was that the patient got rabies due to contact with dogs (holding and playing with dogs).

The second case is VQH (born in 2014, in Tan Xuan commune, Tan Ky district). On March 9, H. had a high fever accompanied by loss of appetite, headache, neck pain and difficulty swallowing. The family took him to Tan Ky District Medical Center for examination and admitted him to the Pediatrics Department. After being admitted, he continued to be tired, had a headache, difficulty swallowing, was afraid of light, afraid of water and screamed. On March 10, he was transferred to Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital and was diagnosed with suspected rabies by doctors. He died in the afternoon of the same day. Epidemiological investigation showed that: Before that, in the neighborhood, a dog with signs of rabies appeared and bit many people. People beat this dog to death. Some other people who were bitten by dogs got vaccinated against rabies. VQH did not tell his family about the dog or cat bites or scratches.

The latest death was Mr. BP (born in 1960, in Quynh Tam commune, Quynh Luu district). On March 28, Mr. P showed signs of fear of water and light. On March 31, Mr. P had chest tightness and difficulty breathing and was taken to Minh An General Hospital by his family. There, the patient was clinically diagnosed with rabies and was transferred to Nghe An General Hospital. On April 1, patient BP died.

According to his family: Nearly 2 months before the onset of the disease, Mr. BP went to his family's farm in the forest and saw a dog running towards him, wagging its tail (not knowing whose dog it belonged to). Mr. P touched the dog and was bitten on the tip of his finger, causing a lot of bleeding. After that, Mr. P went home and washed the bite wound with soap, squeezed out the blood, disinfected it with alcohol, did not go to the commune health station or hospital for first aid, and did not get a rabies vaccine. After being bitten, Mr. P beat the dog to death and brought it home, calling on his neighbors to butcher and eat its meat. 3 days after being bitten by the dog, the patient went to the house of a woman (name unknown) in Dien Lam commune, Dien Chau district to test for rabies using folk methods and was informed that she did not have rabies.

Since the beginning of the year, many people in Nghe An have been bitten by dogs and cats. Photo: Internet

Since the beginning of the year, many people in Nghe An have been bitten and injured by dogs and cats. According to the Nghe An Center for Disease Control: In January and February 2023, in 21 urban districts in the province, up to 1,454 people were bitten and scratched by dogs and cats, causing injuries and had to get rabies vaccinations.

Of the 1,454 people who received rabies vaccinations, 712 were male, 742 were female; 368 were under 15 years old, 155 were between 15 and 24 years old, 467 were between 24 and 49 years old, and 464 were over 50 years old; the time from the bite to the injection was under 10 days for 1,146 people, over 10 days for 308 people; 1,385 were bitten by dogs, 64 were bitten by cats, and 5 were bitten by other animals; 326 were bitten at level 3 (one or more bites through the skin or scratches or licks on open skin)... The condition of the animals at the time of the bites was 585 normal, 547 were sick, 274 were running loose and missing, and 19 had rabies.

The story of many people being bitten by dogs and cats mentioned above is a warning bell that parents need to always observe, supervise and ensure the safety of their children and grandchildren. At the same time, it also warns families who raise dogs and cats to take measures to confine and chain them to ensure the safety of others, to avoid unfortunate incidents... Besides, it is also necessary to welcome families and patients who were bitten by dogs and cats with disease prevention awareness, care about health and promptly get vaccinated against rabies.

Vaccinate immediately after being bitten or scratched by a dog or cat

Dr. Tran Van Cuong - Deputy Director of the Hospital, Head of the Emergency Department - Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital said: Rabies is a dangerous infectious disease - acute viral encephalomyelitis, transmitted from animals to humans mainly through bites, wounds, and licks on damaged skin of infected animals (usually dogs and cats). Once rabies has occurred, the mortality rate is nearly 100%. Up to now, there is no specific treatment for the disease.

Rabies vaccination at Thanh Chuong Medical Center. Photo: Thanh Chung

Families raising pets in the house (especially pets that have not been vaccinated) and letting children come into contact with them regularly also pose many risks. Because the incubation period of rabies is quite long (from 2 to 8 weeks, can last up to 1 year), many parents often do not pay attention to the injuries on their children's bodies. The incubation period depends on the severity of the wound, the location of the wound and the amount of rabies virus transmitted to the person... When bitten or scratched by a dog or cat, first aid for the wound is necessary properly. Rabies vaccination is still the only effective measure to prevent rabies in people bitten by dogs.

According to Master, Doctor Nguyen Trong Di - Deputy Head of the Department of Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases, Nghe An Province Center for Disease Control: To proactively prevent rabies, all people need to fully vaccinate their dogs and cats and re-vaccinate annually according to the recommendations of the veterinary industry. Dog and cat owners absolutely must not let their dogs and cats roam free; dogs on the street must wear muzzles. People must not play with or tease dogs and cats.

People who are bitten, scratched, or licked by dogs or cats need to thoroughly wash the wound with water and concentrated soap continuously for 15 minutes. If soap is not available, the wound must be rinsed with clean water; then continue to wash with 70% alcohol, iodine alcohol, or Povidone, iodine. Be careful not to bruise the wound and do not cover it tightly. At the same time, go immediately to the nearest medical center for advice and timely rabies vaccination.

Master, Doctor Nguyen Trong Di emphasized: "Rabies vaccination is a race between the vaccine and the rabies virus. Therefore, as soon as a patient is bitten by a rabid dog, suspected rabid dog or animal,need to go to the nearest medical facility immediately to get vaccinated, do not wait to monitor the dog's condition, nor worry about the effects of rabies vaccine on health. All new generation vaccines are very safe. In particular, victims of dog and cat bitesAbsolutely do not use traditional medicine, do not self-treat or ask a witch doctor to treat rabies.".

Center for Disease Control staff distribute leaflets on rabies prevention. Photo: Thanh Hoa

To prevent and control rabies, people in districts/towns/cities must implement Decision No. 766/QD-UBND dated March 24, 2022 of the People's Committee of Nghe An province on promulgating the Plan for rabies prevention and control in Nghe An province for the period 2022-2030. In particular, it is necessary to further promote communication activities and advise people in the community about rabies; measures to prevent and handle when bitten by animals suspected of having rabies, the benefits of rabies vaccination... All people need to pay attention to the health and safety of their children against the risk of rabies, especially in the summer./.