Local officials attribute the rise in incidents partly to poor management of domestic animals, noting that many dogs and cats are allowed to roam freely. This, coupled with inaccurate animal population statistics, has contributed to a low vaccination rate against rabies.
Efforts to enforce dog management regulations have been insufficient. Over the last decade, rabies has claimed 31 lives in Thanh Hoa and led to 85,145 people receiving post-exposure prophylaxis treatment.
In response, the Thanh Hoa People’s Committee has called for urgent actions from localities and agencies to bolster rabies prevention and control measures.
Nationally, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development reported that rabies caused 82 deaths across 30 cities and provinces in Vietnam last year, with Gia Lai, Binh Phuoc, Ben Tre, Nghe An, and Dien Bien recording the highest fatalities. From January 1 to February 20 this year, rabies has already resulted in 18 deaths in 12 cities and provinces, marking an increase of nine cases compared to the same period last year.
