Dog Bites, 33,000 Cases in Bali

From the Bali Times, July 29, 2013,


DENPASAR

Dog bites in Bali Province during January-July 2013 are more than 33,000 cases per the data of local Health Department.

“The number is quite high as in average there are 100-120 cases of dog bites everyday. Compared to the same period in previous year, there is a slight decline since at that time there were 150 cases everyday,” said the Head of Health Department of Bali Province dr Ketut Suarjaya in Denpasar.

The most dog bite case occurred in Badung Regency, Buleleng Regency and Denpasar, while the least occurred in Jembrana and Klungkung regency.

“In the area of South Kuta and Petang (Badung) for example, the dog bite case generally is caused by wild dogs, while in Denpasar majority by pet dogs,” he said.

Therefore, he hoped that the Husbandry Department encourage more mass vaccination and people should not let their dogs be wild.

“Please put the dog in cage and do something so that they don’t become wild. People also must participate in reducing the dog bite case,” he said.

He added that from 33,000 cases of dog bite, it is not ended with death. The last death on human due to rabies occurred in June 2012.

“However, the dog bites on risky spots such as head, genital parts, and tip of hand has occurred about ten percent of the total case. For treatment on the risky spots, anti-rabies vaccine (VAR) is not enough but it should be given with anti-rabies serum (SAR),” he said.

Suarjaya stated that for one case of dog bite needs VAR injection four times. Usually if the bite happens on the risky spot, with VAR it has given safety assurance.

“The stock of VAR now is more than 19,000 and SAR is more that 300 vials. We’ve asked the Ministry of Health to help the availability so that Bali won’t lack of supplies,” he said.

In the last three years, Suarjaya said, the peak of dog bite case happened in 2010, which was 63,000 cases in a year. While in 2012, the total of dog bite was 56,000 cases.



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