BACOLOD City – This city had no death cases due to rabies but registered a total of 8,585 animal bite incidents in 2018.
Based on last year’s animal bite and human rabies cases report of the Bacolod City Health Office, statistician Warlito Vallente said the highest number of bites from dogs, cats and other animals was recorded in the first quarter of 2018 with each month registering bite cases of not less than 600 per month including April.
There were 832 bites recorded in January, 692 in February, 861 in March and 842 in April.
Of the total number of individuals bitten by animals, some 4,324 were males and 4,361 were females, and most victims were 15 year old and above totaling 5,584 while those below 15 years old reached 3,001.
The report showed that the Category 2 bite victims are those who were bitten, punctured or scratched but no spontaneous bleeding. It totaled 6,985.
Category 3 bite victims are those whose wounds bled spontaneously or they were bitten on the head or neck, reached 1,600.
Per record, there were 6,641 dog bites, cat bites were recorded at 1,935, and other animals like rats and monkeys bite cases were noted at nine.
Only 4,986 bite victims received treatment from the City Health Office (CHO) because it ran out of vaccines due to scarcity of supply beginning April to December of 2018, Bacolod City rabies coordinator Gloria Parreno said.
The scarcity is felt until today so that only category 3 victims may avail of vaccines from CHO, she said.
Because of this, Parreno is urging pet owners not to play with their pets or any other animals because they are the ones who are prone to bites.
She also called on pet owners to immunize their pets. (PIA/PN)
