Number of dog bites up as deaths decrease

CEBU, Philippines - A total of 3,731 persons were bitten by dogs in different barangays of Cebu City last year, although only one of them died of rabies.

Statistics obtained by The FREEMAN from Dr. Susan Adlawan, head of the Animal Bite Treatment Center of the Cebu City Health department, showed that the number of persons bitten by dogs is increasing since 1999 but the casualties had dropped.

In 1999, there were only 1,096 persons bitten mostly by stray dogs, but while there were only less number of victims, Adlawan said five of the victims had died of rabies virus.

Records also show that in 2000, the number of reported dog bites had climbed to 1,796 with nine deaths. In 2001, the number of persons bitten by dogs rose to 1,955 with five deaths and increased to 2,058 with 10 deaths in 2002.

When Adlawan assumed office in 2002, she quickly conducted an information campaign and encouraged the dog bite victims to be immediately injected with anti-rabies and anti-tetanus vaccines.

“Akong gitoohan nga tungod sa pagsigi namo og awhag nga kadtong mapaakan og iro dad-on dayon sa mga doktor o diri sa among center mao nga misaka ang atong statistics sa mga dog bite victims,” Adlawan told The FREEMAN.

Adlawan said there were 2,030 dog bite victims in 2003 and the number climbed to 3,084 the following year. The number again rose to 3,088 in 2005, then to 3,469 in 2006, and then to 3,792 in 2007.

She added there were 3,421 dog bites victims in 2008 and 3,731 last year.

But despite of the increasing number of dog bites victims in Cebu City the past decade, Adlawan proudly announced that the number of deaths due to rabies had went down.

There was only one casualty in year 2003 and 2004, then three in the following year, two in 2006 and zero deaths in 2007 and 2008.

Adlawan explained that if her office had enough supply of anti-rabies vaccines from the Department of Health (DOH), she will provide free two injections to every dog bite victims, but the succeeding injections should be shouldered by them or the owners of the dogs.

Health officials said rabies is considered a dangerous but preventable disease.

Rabies is an acute viral sickness transmitted through the bites of rabid dogs and other animals that is almost always fatal once it completely ravages the central nervous system. — Rene U. Borromeo/WAB (THE FREEMAN)