Concepcion teener is latest rabies victim
A 15 year-old high school student of Concepcion, Iloilo succumbed to the deadly rabies of a stray dog and became the latest fatality on record in the Province of Iloilo.
Confirmation of the teener's death was reached in a document obtained by The News Today (TNT) with the report submitted to the Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (PESU) of the Provincial Health Office (PHO).
Human-rabies cases here has a total of eight rabies-deaths, four of which happened in January, one in February, March and May and the most recent one reported in October 7th.
The 15-year-old victim is the third youngest victim alongside 2 year-old Nerwin Japitanan of Barangay Dungoc, San Joaquin, Iloilo and 13 year-old Jan Mark Casumpang of Barangay Mustro, Anilao, Iloilo.
The oldest fatality was 73 year-old Felicitas Saturno of Barangay San Mateo, San Joaquin, Iloilo. Other victims on record were 59 year-old Nenita Suarez of Barangay Aspera, Sara, 47 year-old Elsa Pama of Barangay Garita, San Enrique, Iloilo and 13 year-old Henry Voluntarioso of Passi City.
The Province in addressing the problem has over P3.5 million in provincial funds for the purchase of anti-rabies vaccines.
This, on top of some P1 million in recent foreign assistance aimed at province-wide vaccination in Iloilo. Meantime, purchase of anti-rabies vaccine of P3.5 million is realized from the initial P1 million in Supplemental Budget No. 1, P500,000 in Supplemental Budget No. 2 and P2 million now sought in Supplemental Budget No. 4.
Iloilo Province has some 274,339 in dog population needing nearly 28,000 vials. Each vial covers vaccine for ten dogs. It was not immediately clear how many vials is procured by the P3.5 million budget.
The province through municipal licensed inspectors distributes the anti-rabies vials in a year-round vaccination. Such after Iloilo ranked among the top in the country's list of provinces with highest rabies incidents
A total of 11 deaths were recorded in 2004, 16 in 2005 and 10 in 2006.