The data was announced by Deputy Director of Hanoi's Department of Health Vu Cao Cuong at a meeting in Hanoi on September 28 to respond to World Rabies Day 2023.

The health official noted that the country has so far this year recorded 60 deaths from rabies in 26 cities and provinces, or 17 cases more than the same period last year.

Over recent years Hanoi has been making efforts to control rabies, resulting in a decrease in the number of deaths, said Cuong, adding the capital still records several deaths each year due to public apathy.

Fortunately, Hanoi has not recorded any deaths from the disease so far this year. Although the city did report only outbreak in Lieu Tri village, Me Linh commune, all six people bitten by infected dogs had all been vaccinated promptly.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the fatal disease kills 60,000 to 70,000 people each year, whilst it also forces more than 10 million people to get vaccinations.

However, many people remain negligent and do not understand the risks posed by the disease, so they are very subjective or treat potential symptoms in the wrong way.

Rabies is caused by the Rhabdovirus, which can be found in the saliva of animals who carry the disease and is spread through a bite or lick.

The rabies virus can be found in warm-blooded animals, especially dogs. In addition, it is also detected in cats, ferrets, bats, and other mammals.

Once entering people’s bodies, the virus then infects the peripheral nerves, running along the nerves to the spinal cord and brain.

Every day, the rabies virus moves from between 12mm to 24mm through the body.

When the virus reaches the brain, the patient shows clear symptoms.

The incubation period for rabies can be less than one week or more than one year depending on the amount of virus which entered the body, the severity of the wound, and the distance from the wound to the central nervous system.

The closer to the central nervous system the wound is, then the shorter the incubation period.

According to the WHO, there is currently no drug which can cure rabies. During a rabies attack, the mortality rate tends to be extremely high.

The only way to save people after being bitten by a rabid dog or cat is to get a rabies vaccine as soon as possible.

Source: VOV