Negara  -  Three residents from Samblong neighborhood in Sangkaragung administrative village, Jembrana subdistrict, Jembrana district, Bali were bitten by a rabid dog.

On Thursday (8/10/2015), officers from Jembrana District Agriculture, Plantation and Livestock Services and Bali Province Livestock Services combed the area in search of the biting dog. The bite victims were Ni Ketut Lamar, Ni Nyoman Budiasih, and Komang Trisna. Laboratory testing of the dog’s brain confirmed the animal was positive with rabies. Head of Samblong neighborhood, I Ketut Sujana admitted a few of the residents were bitten by a rabid dog. Further investigation reveals the dog was owned by one of the bite victims.

The victims were bitten on Saturday (3/10/2015) and Sunday (4/10/2015). Two were bitten on the leg and soon received post-exposure treatment. The third victim just returned from working in Denpasar on Thursday (8/10/2015) and was immediately brought to the local community health center for treatment.

Compared to previous years, rabid dog bite cases in Jembrana is the worst this year. Data from Jembrana District Health Services shows there were 2,284 bite victims between January and October 2015 with confirmed rabid animals associated with 110 victims. Meanwhile in 2014 there were 2,479 bite cases with only 29 victims associated with confirmed rabid animals, indicating a 300% increase in rabid-bite cases in 2015.

Head of Jembrana District Health Services, dr. I Putu Suasta, said based on a meeting with Bali Province Health Services, Jembrana was declared as a rabies red zone starting 21 September 2015. Jembrana also has the highest risk in terms of rabies, followed by Buleleng and Karangasem districts.

To address this issue, Health Services prepared 7,000 doses of human rabies vaccines for 2015. So far, 1,474 doses were used and 99 doses of Anti Rabies Serum are predicted to last until February 2016. “We as the downstream fighters are apprehensive despite having enough vaccines and serum. However, still the first step towards rabies mitigation is upstream at the Agriculture, Plantation and Livestock Services, how can they prevent rabies from spreading,” said Suasta in his office on Wednesday (7/10/2015).

“Our concern is of people dismissing these dog bites, especially those from smaller dogs or small and seemingly unconcerning bite wounds. That’s why we urge the public to immediately go to the nearest community health center if you are bitten by any dog,” Suasta said. (I Gede Jaka Santhosa)

Source: Tribunnews