Nghe An urgently deploys solutions to prevent and control rabies
(Baonghean.vn) - Currently, rabies is increasing dramatically with a high number of deaths. In Nghe An, there has been a death due to rabies.
Rabies deaths spike
Faced with the complicated situation of rabies, on March 15, 2024, the Ministry of Health issued Official Dispatch No. 1208/BYT-DP on the implementation of urgent measures to prevent rabies to the Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities.
The Ministry of Health requested provinces and cities to urgently and fully implement the contents of the National Program on Rabies Prevention and Control for the period 2022-2030; proactively and closely monitor cases of suspected rabid dog and cat bites to provide vaccination guidance according to the Ministry of Health's instructions and promptly handle outbreaks; strengthen inter-sectoral coordination between the health and veterinary sectors to monitor and promptly detect cases of suspected rabid animal bites.
Ensure adequate and increase people's access to rabies vaccines and anti-rabies serum, especially in high-risk areas; promote communication about the dangers of rabies; promptly share information so that people can proactively take preventive measures and mobilize people to promptly go to medical facilities for examination, consultation and injection of rabies vaccines and anti-rabies serum, especially in localities with deaths due to rabies and low vaccination rates for dogs and cats.
Strengthen communication work in schools for children and students; mass media, direct communication and communication through grassroots propaganda systems in remote areas, areas with large ethnic minority populations and note not to treat rabies with methods not recognized by the Ministry of Health.
Localities allocate funds to synchronously and effectively implement rabies prevention and control activities in humans and animals and mobilize the participation of departments, branches, organizations, communities and society in rabies prevention and control work.
Nghe An has had 1 death due to rabies.
In February 2024, there were two rabies outbreaks in the province in Quy Chau district and Thai Hoa town. The main cause of the outbreak was that the dogs had not been vaccinated against the disease. The rabies virus circulated in the dogs. Many localities have not been able to manage the dogs and cats; free-roaming dogs are still common, especially in rural and mountainous areas.
In March 2024, in Nghe An, 1 person died from rabies. The victim was LTT (9 years old, in Tan Son village, Mon Son commune, Con Cuong district). According to his family, LTT was bitten by a dog around February 2024; bitten on the foot and hand area; the wound was bleeding. The family treated the wound themselves, did not take him to a medical facility, and did not get vaccinated with rabies serum and vaccine.
On March 2, 2024, LTT showed symptoms of headache, muscle paralysis, and fever. At noon on March 5, he was taken to the Southwest Nghe An Regional General Hospital. He showed symptoms of increased salivation, convulsions, paralysis, fear of wind, fear of light, and died at 6:00 p.m. the same day.
Faced with the complicated developments of rabies, on March 14, 2024, the People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Directive No. 06/CT-UBND on strictly implementing measures to prevent and control animal rabies and avian influenza. On March 18, the People's Committee of Nghe An province continued to issue Official Dispatch No. 2010/UBND-VX on implementing urgent measures to prevent and control rabies.
The People's Committee of Nghe An province requested districts, cities and towns to urgently and seriously implement urgent measures to prevent rabies; at the same time, prioritize the allocation of resources and funding for implementation. Localities directed units to do a good job of monitoring, early detection of suspected rabies cases, timely warning, information sharing and coordination in investigation, thoroughly handling outbreaks when they first arise. Suspected cases of animal rabies must have samples taken for testing.
Localities set up inspection teams to guide disease prevention and control, livestock management, and vaccination. Strengthen extensive propaganda in the community, schools, livestock breeders, and slaughterhouse workers about the dangers and measures to prevent and control rabies, and raise the responsibility of livestock breeders, especially dog and cat breeders, to the community.
The People's Committees at the commune level shall strengthen management and accurately count the number of households raising dogs and cats; guide and require household owners to commit to declaring and keeping dogs and cats in a manner that does not affect people's health and does not pollute the environment. The authorities must vaccinate more than 70% of the total dog and cat population against rabies; strictly handle cases of non-compliance with vaccination, letting dogs roam freely, not wearing muzzles or leashes, and not having someone lead dogs when taking them to public places.
In localities that are subjective, negligent, and not resolute in directing the implementation of prevention and control measures, allowing epidemics to occur and causing deaths due to rabid dog bites, the Chairman of the District People's Committee will be criticized before the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.
Strengthening communication on rabies prevention
Currently, departments, branches, sectors and units in the province have been promoting solutions to prevent and control rabies. The key solution is to strengthen communication and propaganda about the disease. On March 20, the Department of Information and Communications issued an official dispatch requesting press agencies; cultural and information departments; Cultural, Sports and Communications Centers of districts, cities and towns to increase the time of propaganda on rabies prevention and control; legal regulations on livestock farming in general, and raising dogs and cats in particular.
Previously, on March 19, the Center for Disease Control of Nghe An province sent an official dispatch to the Medical Centers of districts, towns and Vinh city with the content of strengthening the organization and implementation of rabies prevention activities in humans in 2024. The Center for Disease Control requested medical units to step up communication through local radio and television channels, social networks, public bulletin boards in crowded places, schools, cultural and community activities of the people.
Organize mobile information and propaganda at the grassroots level, propagate and mobilize through loudspeakers in neighborhoods, communes, wards, villages, hamlets, collaborators, and medical staff; develop, print, and distribute free communication materials (leaflets, billboards, books, handbooks, etc.); school communication; organize seminars and talks on rabies prevention.
Widely publicize contact information of vaccination clinics that provide rabies preventive treatment to ensure that all people know and proactively seek rabies preventive treatment when exposed or suspected of being exposed.
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%. To date, there is no specific treatment for the disease. Rabies vaccination is still the only effective measure to prevent rabies in people bitten by dogs and cats.
To proactively prevent and control rabies, all people need to fully vaccinate their dogs and cats and get annual booster shots according to veterinary recommendations. Dog and cat owners should absolutely not let their dogs and cats roam free; dogs on the street must wear muzzles. People should 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 washing 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. In particular, victims of dog or cat bites should absolutely not use traditional medicine, oriental medicine, self-treat, or ask a witch doctor to treat rabies.
