Badung intensifies anti-rabies vaccine drive

Luh De Suriyani ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Denpasar.   |  Wed, 04/01/2009 2:57 PM  |  Bali

The Badung Health Agency recorded 703 dog-bite cases in Badung regency, the wealthiest of Bali's eight regencies and municipalities, during the first quarter of 2009.

The agency has intensified its search for those bitten by unvaccinated dogs, to treat them with rabies vaccination (VAR) shots in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus in the regency.

I.G.A. Sriasih, an official at the agency's contagious disease prevention and control section, said most victims were reluctant to go to health centers.

"We will search for them at their homes and take them to the health center. We don't want to find any new cases of suspected rabies," she said.

One such victim from Pecatu village died recently, despite having been vaccinated once with VAR. The victim had not continued with the second and third vaccination steps, which were necessary to increase his antibody cell count.

Dr. Ken Wirasandhi from Sanglah General Hospital said most people did not understand the importance of undergoing the three-step rabies vaccination after being bitten by an infected dog.

"Many of them think that getting a one-time vaccination is adequate to prevent them getting rabies," he said.

The hospital recently admitted five suspect rabies patients, all of them bitten by dogs three to five months before they were brought to the hospital.

According to the latest lab results, four of the five patients tested positive for rabies symptoms.

The provincial administration has provided free VAR valued at Rp 1.8 million (US$170) per package per person.

Eight people have died of rabies in South Kuta district.

Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika said Sunday his administration would issue a new regulation to control the island's rabies outbreak, following a recent surge in rabies cases.

The administration is currently drafting the details of the bylaw, he added.

Pastika also urged the cooperation of Bali residents to fight the outbreak. The governor had previously issued an executive order imposing tighter restrictions on the transportation of certain animals from and into the resort island, including dogs and monkeys, which are believed to be the primary possible carriers of the deadly rabies virus

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