A person dies from rabies after trying to treat his son by sucking blood from dog-bite wound

A person died from rabies in China recently after he sucked blood from a bite wound inflicted by a stray dog on his son’s leg. He attempted this to remove any infection from the wound. The person was so anxious about his son’s injury that he squatted down immediately and started to suck the blood from the leg and spit it onto the ground, which some people do to try to treat bites from venomous snakes. Later, the son was given vaccine shots in the hospital but the father did not take vaccination due to cost considerations. He developed strong rabies symptoms and died hours after he was rushed to a hospital. Doctors reminded people not to suck out blood after being bitten by dogs, but to clean wounds with soapy water and get timely medical help.

Source: Shanghai Daily. www.shanghaidaily.com

FAO, OIE and WHO unite to eliminate human rabies and control the disease in animals

On the World Rabies Day (28 September 2013), FAO, OIE and WHO unite in their goal to eliminate human rabies and control the disease in animals. Every year, an estimated 60,000 people die an agonizing death from rabies, many of whom are children bitten by rabies-infected dogs. Elimination of rabies requires consistent and sustained commitment, underpinned by strong health and veterinary systems. Different sectors and disciplines need to collaborate closely, and World Rabies Day is an opportunity to establish or strengthen these links. Regional elimination of human rabies transmitted by dogs has been outlined by Latin American countries for 2015 and south-east Asia for 2020. FAO, OIE and WHO are working together to raise global awareness and commitment to step-up the fight against rabies.

Source: World Health Organization