35 Residents Infected With Rabies In 6 Months, Mukomuko Health Office Gets 20 Vaccine Supply

BENGKULU - Mukomuko Regency Government (Pemkab) received additional anti-rabies vaccines for the needs of as many as 20 rabies-infectious animal bites (HPR) in the area.

"We got an additional 20 antiracies of vaccines for 20 people from the provincial government this year," said Mukomuko District Health Office Rabies Program Manager Ruli Herlindo in Mukomuko, Bengkulu, Friday, July 7, as reported by Antara.

He said the anti-rabies vaccine assistance from the provincial government was to increase the number of VAR stocks in the area.

He said that currently his agency still has stock of anti-rabies vaccines for the needs of 45 rabies-infected animal bites in this area.

"With this additional anti-rabies vaccine, the total stock of anti-rabies vaccines in this area will be 65 lattices," he said.

He ensured that the stock of the anti-rabies vaccine was sufficient for the needs of this area for six months or until December 2023.

"We are trying to be sufficient because the cases of animal bites that transmit rabies so far have averaged eight cases per month," he said.

Meanwhile, the Health Office previously had stock of 80 anti-rabies vaccines, but of the 80 VARs, as many as 35 VARs have been used.

He said, as many as 35 residents in this area were victims of the bite of rabies-infectious animals such as dogs, cats, and monkeys for the past six months starting from January to June 2023.

He stated that although as many as dozens of residents were bitten by animals that were only suspected of contracting rabies, all residents who were victims of animal bites were still given complete VAR to anticipate residents contracting rabies.

He said, of the 35 cases of animal bites that transmitted rabies, as many as one case of a 4-year-old child being bitten by a dog contracted rabies.