The Majority Of Rabies Dog Bite Victims In NTT Children Under 15 Years Old

Officers vaccinated rabies (Photo: DOK ANTARA)

KUPANG - The Health and Civil Registration Office of East Nusa Tenggara Province noted that until October 2023 children under the age of 15 were mostly victims of rabies dog bites which led to death. “ Of the 29 people who died from dog bites, 17 were children and the rest were adults,” said Head of the NTT Provincial Health and Civil Registration Office Ruth D. Laiskodat in Kupang, Antara, Thursday, November 30. This was conveyed in connection with the development of cases of rabies dog bites that occurred in NTT which has continued to increase until now. Children who died were around 3.5-10 years old and also 15 years old. "Generally, the number of victims who were bitten and died was due to being late in bringing them to health facilities to get vaccines and anti-rabies serum," he said. Furthermore, 29 people who died were in the district of South Central Timor (TTS) on the island of Timor. The number reached 11 victims. In other details, five victims in Sikka district, five in Ende district, one in Nagekeo district, two people in Manggarai Timor, three victims in Manggarai, and two people in North Central Timor (TTU) district. Furthermore, he said, apart from children aged 3-15 years, there are also adults who are around 24 years old, 41 years old, 45 years old, 58 years old to 64 years old. He added that overall the number of victims of rabies dog bites in NTT reached 17,860 bite victims.

Ruth appealed that if someone experiences or is bitten by a dog, cat, and other rabies-carrying animals, they should be immediately taken to the puskesmas for treatment, so it's not too late.