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Rabid dog kills student in Flores
Sat, 11/08/2008 11:45 AM | The Archipelago
KUPANG, E. Nusa Tenggara: Eston Lalu Djone, 8, a student at Ende III Catholic Elementary School in Ende, East Nusa Tenggara, died Tuesday after being bitten in September by a suspected rabid dog.
There have been 135 such fatalities in the province over the past ten years, with three this year.
"The victim's family said Eston was being bitten in September," said Yosep Deo of the Ende Health Agency.
"At the time, the victim did not receive any treatments such as anti-rabies serum or vaccine at the local Puskesmas (community health center) or hospital."
Yosep said Eston later received a vaccine, but by then he was in a critical phase.
"Eston had entered the fourth stage when he was brought to the hospital. He was afraid of water, wind and light, just like other people infected by rabies," Yosep said.
He said some 50,000 out of 200,000 dogs in Flores, where Ende regency is located, and Lembata islands had yet to be vaccinated.
Rabies is an acute viral disease that attacks the nervous system and is usually transmitted through the bite of an infected animal.
Other animals that can transmit the virus included bats, cats, foxes, raccoons and skunks. -- JP
