Rabies scare up as 5 more confirmed dead in Iloilo
Two teeners and three others are confirmed to be the latest fatalities in the recorded-deaths caused by rabied dogs in the Province of Iloilo.
As such, officials in the Provincial Health Office (IPHO) headed by Provincial Health Officer physician Grace Trabado and the Provincial Veterinarian Office (PVO) headed by provincial veterinarian Silvino Teodosio coordinated respective efforts to curb what is considered an alarming rise in the number of deaths caused by rabies in Iloilo's 42 towns and one component city.
In an emergency press conference Monday Trabado said that this is the first time that the province has recorded five deaths while the year has just started.
Trabado noted that in 2006 a total of eleven deaths due to rabies were recorded for the whole year.
As a result, a more aggressive campaign will be made by the IPHO and the PVO in the next two months, focus of which will be on three municipalities and Passi City.
The five new fatalities were Felicitas Saturno (73 years old) of Brgy. San Mateo, San Joaquin, John Mark Casumpang (13 years old) of Brgy. Mustro, Anilao, Henry Voluntarioso (13 years old) of Passi City, Elsa Pama (47 years old) of Brgy. Garita, San Enrique, and Nerwin Japitanan (2 years old) of Brgy. Dungok, San Joaquin.
The victims were bitten by dogs some years ago.
Teodosio called on the cooperation of the local government units regarding the strong implementation of their respective dog control ordinances.
He stressed that stray dogs, which are the usual carrier of rabies, should be eliminated but in a manner provided by the Animal Welfare Act.
To note, a province-wide anti-rabies drive called on the passage of municipal ordinances that provided clear rules against stray dogs. Penalties were also set forth on pet owners who fail to secure their pets as government-initiated dog vaccination was made throughout Iloilo.
The stray-dog prohibition identified public areas such as town plazas and parks.