Kupang – The number of people dying from rabies in Flores Island is increasing after Sesilia Findi Gonu, 9, citizen of Lewolaga village, Titehena subdistrict, East Flores district, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), died from a suspected rabies infection.

The death of Sesilia Findi Gono on Saturday (10/9) increased the number of rabies victims from 1997 to 201 by early September 2011.

Rabies was confirmed by doctors in dr TC Hillers Regional Hospital, Maumere, Flores.

Before, Director General of Disease Mitigation and Environmental Health (P2PL) of the Ministry of Health, Tjandra Yoga Aditama, said for 10 months in 2010 there have been 56,259 dog bite cases and 168 human fatalities.

”From that number, many are from Flores, NTT. Therefore the region needs more attention from all stakeholders to prevent and eradicate the disease,” he said.

In the report regarding this latest fatality from rabies, the patient was brought to Titehena Community Health Center (Puskesmas) with rabies symptoms, but then was referred to Larantuka regional hospital. Unfortunately a few hours later the patient reportedly had died. (Ant/OL-8)

Source : Media Indonesia