FILE PHOTO: Pet owners bring their dogs to Plaza Independencia, Cebu City to avail of the free anti-rabies vaccination in this June 25, 2016 file photo.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Barangay captains in Cebu City are encouraged to conduct vaccination campaigns on animals to prevent the rise of cases of rabies in their areas.
Cebu City Councilor Rey Gealon made the call in a proposed resolution during the City Council’s regular session on Wednesday, October 11.
READ: Central Visayas logs 19 suspected rabies-related deaths
High risk Cebu City barangays
Gealon said that eight barangays in Cebu City were at high risk due to the rise of cases of animal rabies.
These barangays are Inayawan, Guadalupe, Pit-os, Kinasang-an, Lahug, Tisa, Tejero, and Punta Princesa.
Dr. Jessica Maribojoc of the Cebu City Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) confirmed Gealon’s claims in the resolution.
Gealon said that there were cases of dogs who went rabid due to rabies in these areas.
READ: Cordova’s Animal Bite Center offers free anti-rabies injection to town residents only — Suan
Vaccination campaigns
“There is a need for barangay captains in Cebu City to conduct vaccination campaigns within their jurisdiction to encourage residents with pets to have their pets vaccinated in order to lower cases of animal rabies,” Gealon said in his resolution.
Gealon also said that the DVMF was also conducting animal vaccinations around the city to address this problem.
Meanwhile, based on the earlier report, Central Visayas has logged 19 suspected rabies-related deaths that are being investigated.
READ: DOH: Rabies ‘almost 100-percent fatal’
Increase in animal bite cases in 2023 noted
The Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) has observed an increase in the number of animal bite cases in the first half of 2023 compared to the previous year.
Dr. Ronald Jarvik Buscato, program manager of DOH-7’s Communicable Diseases Section, said they already recorded at least 59,000 cases of animal bites between January and June in the region.
Buscato also said that they were also investigating 19 suspected rabies-related deaths within this period.
He also said that in 2022 there were only seven recorded suspected rabies mortalities.