ANIMAL bite cases in the city have increased over the past three years despite efforts by the local government to contain them and protect the people from rabies.
According to the Manila Times, the City Health Services Office (CHSO) said there were no rabies cases reported from 2006 - 2017.
However, in 2018, there were 4,618 residents and 514 transients who were bitten by animals and 3,100 residents and 178 transients in 2019.
Agnes Johana Abad, a nurse from CHSO said in 2020, about 3,720 residents and 86 transients were bitten while for the first semester this year, there were already 2,189 local residents and 14 transients were bitten.
She said most animal-bite cases in the city were inflicted by dogs, cats and other animals and most of these cases involved household pets.
Of the recorded animal bites in 2018, 4,466 were inflicted by dogs, 1,002 by cats and 14 by other animals.
In 2019, there were 2,706 dog-bite cases, 557 cat-bite cases and 15 cases were caused by other animals.
In 2020, there were 3,089 dog-bite cases, 628 cat-bite cases and 3 cases caused by other animals.
For the first semester of this year, there were 1,796 dog-bite cases, 404 cat-bite cases and 3 cases caused by other animals.
The National Rabies Control Programme includes provisions on treatment of high-risk personnel and animal-bite victims; encouragement of practice of responsible pet ownership; enforcement of ordinances, information and education campaign on rabies prevention and control; mass vaccination of dogs by the City Veterinary and Agriculture Office; establishment of database system for registered and vaccinated dogs by the CVAO; and impounding of stray and unvaccinated dogs, cats and other biting animals.
The goal of the programme is to eliminate rabies and to declare the country rabies-free and with zero human deaths by 2030.