Rabies-related deaths on the rise in Vietnam

Vietnam saw 22 rabies-related human deaths in the first two months of this year, more than double the same period last year.

Vietnam saw 22 rabies-related human deaths in the first two months of this year, more than double the same period last year.

According to the Ministry of Health, since 2022, deaths related to rabies have increased in many localities. Gia Lai Province topped with 14 cases, followed by Nghe An and Binh Phuoc with seven cases each, Dien Bien with six, Ben Tre with five, Dak Lak and Binh Thuan with four each respectively.

 

Vietnam saw 22 rabies-related human deaths in the first two months of this year. Photo for illustration.

There have been noticeable rabies cases with a short incubation period, ranging from 10 to 15 days, with many involving children aged under five.

The main cause of rabies-related fatalities in humans is the ignorance about vaccinations after being bitten by suspected rabid animals or the late vaccination.

The management of dogs and cats in some areas has remained lax and the rate of rabies vaccination for animals is still low at just 50 percent of the total dog and cat population in many areas. The vaccination rate is even merely 10 percent in some areas.

According to the National Rabies Prevention and Control Programme for the period 2022-2030, the rabies vaccination rate for the country’s dog and cat population will be 70 percent between 2022 and 2025.

The World Health Organisation said that to date there is no drug to cure rabies. Therefore, timely vaccination is the only way to save bitten people.