The Status Of DKI Jakarta Is Rabies Free Despite The Increase In Animal Bite Cases

Dog Bite Illustration (ist)

JAKARTA - The DKI Jakarta Provincial Health Office stated that the capital city remains free of rabies despite the increase in cases of Rabies Animal Bites (GHPR) by 206 reports in June 2023 from a number of hospitals and health centers in DKI Jakarta.

Head of the Surveillance and Immunization Section of the DKI Jakarta Health Office (Dinkes), Ngabila Salama explained, in June there was an accumulation of 1,733 GHPR cases in DKI Jakarta, an increase of 206 cases out of a total of 1,527 cases in May 2023.

"There were 1,733 cases of GHPR in June 2023 in DKI Jakarta, which are reports from a total of 5 hospitals, namely two referral hospitals in DKI Jakarta, 2 hospitals, and 1 private hospital in Jakarta," said Head of the Surveillance and Immunization Section of the DKI Jakarta Health Service (Dinkes), Ngabila Salama, quoted from Antara, Sunday. He said the case of the bite came from cats, dogs, monkeys, monkeys and bats. Based on data from 194 hospitals (RS) and 44 sub-district health centers in DKI Jakarta in 2023, Ngabila said, there were no cases of positive rabies and death from the animal bite, but only the number of people who killed animals.

Since 2004, the status of DKI Jakarta has been a rabies-free area stipulated through the Decree of the Minister of Agriculture Number 566/Kpts/PD.640/10/2004 concerning the Statement of the Province of DKI Jakarta Free Rabies.

"We urge prevention to be carried out with more sensitive children, the elderly, disability groups, animal caregivers, and other communities to avoid specific locations where there are dogs to avoid bites," said Ngabila. Then, the DKI Health Office also appealed to the public to cooperate with the local RT in preventing the bite of dogs and cats, especially in residential areas.

Cat and dog pet owners periodically should also vaccinate rabies in animals, can coordinate with the person in charge of animal health in every sub-district office if there is a free animal vaccination program from the government or paid at the nearest animal clinic.

As for the distribution of the DKI Jakarta GHPR cases during January-June 2023, the majority of victims came from outside the region, which was 418 cases.

The number of GHPR cases in the South Jakarta area is 154, Central Jakarta (156), West Jakarta (260), East Jakarta (369) and North Jakarta as many as 376.

Then, the GHPR case report at two referral hospitals in DKI Jakarta, namely Tarakan Hospital, was 802 cases. Meanwhile, at RSPI Sulianti Saroso there were 926 cases. Previously, the DKI Jakarta Maritime and Agricultural Food Security Service (KPKP) said it continues to strengthen policies and strategies to increase rabies vaccination coverage in dogs, cats and other rabies-infectious animals (HPR) to maintain rabies-free Jakarta. The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government is targeting vaccination of 43,000 HPRs. Currently, the realization is approximately 37.7 percent.

Until now, for the rabies vaccine, 3,146 dogs have been vaccinated, while 13,280 cats have been.