Animal bite cases continue to see an upward trend across all provinces and highly-urbanized cities in Central Luzon from 2021 to 2023, based on the data from the Department of Health (DOH).

As a result, human rabies cases correspondingly increased during the same period. With this, DOH once again asks the public to give more attention to rabies as a serious public health problem in the Philippines, with 100 percent fatality.

The Rabies Situation in Central Luzon 

DOH Central Luzon Center for Health Development (CLCHD) Infectious Diseases Cluster nurse Joseph Michael Manlutac explained that rabies is a zoonotic disease caused by lyssavirus, which is usually found in the saliva of infected dogs and cats. 

“About 99 percent of rabies cases come from dogs, while the second most common cause of the virus are cats. However, we should take note that not all dogs and cats are carriers of the virus. Also, other warm-blooded animals like bats, pigs, cows, skunks, and raccoons can be infected with it,” he said.

The most common mode of transmission is through animal bites or scratches from rabid animals. However, DOH said that the virus can also be acquired through organ transplants from people who have died of the disease. 

“Eating raw meat of infected animals can be another mode of transmission. That is the reason why we do not encourage the public to eat meat of dogs and cats,” Manlutac said. 

In Central Luzon, DOH recorded a 22 percent increase or a total of 267,191 animal bite cases in 2023, compared to only 216,293 cases in the previous year. One-fifth of these came from Bulacan, followed by Pampanga and Nueva Ecija. 

“In terms of deaths attributed to human rabies, we also recorded an 8 percent increase or 54 deaths in 2023. Almost half of these deaths or 43 percent were from the province of Bulacan alone,” Manlutac said.

The Philippines is one of the countries with the most number of rabies cases. Globally, one person dies due to rabies every 15 minutes and a quarter of these deaths occur among children. 

The Effect of Human Rabies 

Rabies causes immense suffering to humans and animals inflicted with it, especially when they reach the moment of lucidity.

Those who get infected with the virus will initially experience headache, flu-like fever, and pain and swelling of the wound although it has healed.

At later stages, the patient will likely experience irritability, anxiety, being lethargic or aggressive, and fear of water, air, and light. 

Aside from the physical burden it brings, it has significant economic impacts as it afflicts the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. 

According to the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, rabies is a disease of poverty because it continues to be a daily threat for millions of people, predominantly in poor communities that do not have access to vaccinations, post-exposure treatment or live in areas with weak human and animal health infrastructures. 

Intensifying rabies control and prevention

DOH highlights that the action and contribution of each individual, family, community, and national government agency are important when it comes to rabies control and prevention. 

“By 2030, our goal is to have zero deaths related to dog-mediated rabies. A very crucial factor to achieve this is the concept of responsible pet ownership because when there are no bites, there will be no rabies cases. When there is no exposure to infected saliva, there will be no rabies cases,” Manlutac said. 

With this, he urged fur parents to commit to taking good care of their pets by not hurting them and by subjecting them to vaccination to stop transmission and save lives. 

“Your pets are your responsibility. When you become responsible pet owners, you do not only take care of your pets but also of the whole community from rabies,” he pressed. 

For humans, DOH also emphasized the importance of going immediately to the nearest animal bite treatment facility once exposed to suspected infected animals. 

“Upon assessment, health care workers will decide what kind of vaccine and how many doses will be administered. It is important to avail of the post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), to complete the recommended doses, and comply with the schedule given by your animal bite treatment center to prevent rabies death,” Manlutac said. 

In Central Luzon, an 86 percent PEP completion rate and 84 percent Rabies Immunoglobulin Coverage were recorded last year. 

The DOH also warned against common myths and practices like pagtandok, putting coins, stone or garlic in the wound, sucking the wound bite, or further cutting the wound, as these can cause additional harm to the body and can never cure rabies. 

Since children are also more vulnerable to rabies, the health agency appeals to parents to not scold their children so they will not keep it from them in case they get bitten by animals. 

“Parents should explain well to their children how to take precaution. The most important thing to teach children is to inform their parents and elders of these circumstances that they were bitten for immediate action,” he said. 

March is declared Rabies Awareness Month in the Philippines by virtue of Executive Order No. 84 signed in 1999 by former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada to rationalize control measures for the prevention and eradication of rabies. (CLJD/MJSC-PIA 3)