City vet holds massive vaccination as rabid dog victims increase to 24

Anti-rabies vaccinations are being intensified in the different barangays in the cities of Cebu and Mandaue following last week’s incident in Barangay Casuntingan where a rabid dog running wild attacked at least 24 people. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

THE number of victims believed to have been bitten by a rabid dog in Mandaue City last week has risen to 24.

This after the Mandaue City Health Office added one more child to the list after he claimed to have been also bitten by the dog named Bruno.

Bruno, owned by a Barangay Casuntingan resident, went on a biting spree last week, attacking people who came in his way.

A chase by village officials, led by Casuntingan Barangay Captain Oscar del Castillo, on Saturday evening led to the dog’s capture.

Bruno died a few hours later while inside a sack where he was kept by his captors for observation.

On Wednesday, results of a fluorescent antibody (FA) test conducted on Bruno’s preserved head to identify specific microorganisms revealed that the dog was rabid.

Mandaue City’s health chief, Dr. Edna Seno, reminded all victims to make sure to get a complete anti-rabies treatment.

“Those who were bitten must really come back for the next three sessions of the vaccination. If they won’t be coming back, they run the risk of having the virus spread throughout their body which may cause death. The vaccine will help their bodies fight the virus,” said Seno.

Meanwhile, the Mandaue City Veterinary Office embarked on a massive vaccination of cats and dogs in Barangay Casuntingan.

So far, over 100 of the residents’ pets were injected with anti-rabies vaccine, according to city veterinarian Dr. Nestor Taasan.

Stray dogs in Casuntingan that most likely came in contact and fought with the rabid dog while it was at the height of its aggression were also rounded up for observation to keep them from harming other residents in the area.

“We are appealing to all the residents of Casuntingan who own potentially rabid dogs, especially those that are not on leash, to please turn them over to the City Veterinary Office. Also, turn them over to the custody of the office if you cannot feed them,” said Barangay Captain Del Castillo in Cebuano.

On the other hand, Taasan said that they will continue with their vaccination procedures because only a few dog and cat owners volunteered to have their pets vaccinated last year.

“The last time we conducted vaccination in Casuntingan was on Nov. 2 and 3. There are still a lot of them (animals) that have not been vaccinated yet,” Taasan said.