Rabies vaccinations on the rise in Vietnam

According to the General Department of Preventive Medicine, 679 rabies shots were administered to 328 people in the first nine months of the year, three times more than the same period last year.

About 271 cases got injected with the rabies serum at Vietnam’s National Children‘s Hospital alone, with the majority being children under 15 in Hanoi.

Vietnam has so far this year recorded 61 deaths from rabies in 26 cities and provinces, 18 cases higher than the figure recorded in the same period last year.

According to doctors, rabies remains one of the most dangerous infectious diseases in Vietnam. Though the country has made positive strides in rabies control, it has over the past 10 years recorded on average 70 to 100 deaths from rabies annually.

Vietnam is striving to ensure that there will be no deaths from rabies by 2030. To meet the target, people are encouraged to fully vaccinate pets and cats, plus a booster shot each year. Dogs are not allowed to freely roam in streets without a muzzle. People are also advised not to play or tease dogs or cats.

Animal bites and scratches, even when they are minor, can become infected and spread bacteria to other parts of the body, according to the General Department of Preventive Medicine.

When people are bitten, they are recommended to immediately go to the nearest medical centre for advice and a timely rabies vaccination.