Kabale district has been put on high alert following an outbreak of deadly rabies.
The officials are calling for vigilance among members of the public following the
confirmed presence of deadly rabies disease in the area.
The disease has so far
claimed the life of a primary two pupil at Kibuga primary school in Kibuga
sub-county.
Angel Amanyabyona who died last week was trekking to his grandparents' home in the same area and was
bitten by a stray dog. He was later taken to Kabale Regional Referral Hospital but died.
Dr.Gilbert Mateeka,
Kabale District Health Officer revealed to our reporter on Thursday that
investigations indicate that the victim was bitten by a dog two months ago but
delayed to seek medical attention. Mateeka however says that by the time the
child died, he had already bitten his mother who is also now admitted at
Kabale regional referral hospital with rabies.
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Mateeka also says that
last week, a suspected stray rabid bit five people in Kigongi, central
Division, Kabale Municipality but only one reported the matter to the office of
the District Veterinary Officer.
Two weeks ago, another suspected rabid
dog also bit a person in Kyanamira sub-county. In the same week, another
dog also bit an unspecified number of people in Kigongi, central division. Both
dogs were killed by locals.
Mateeka calls for vigilance control of dog
movements in communities.
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Angella Anyongyeire,
Kabale District Veterinary Officer says that measures are being put by district
authorities to have all the dogs vaccinated soon. She says that after the
exercise, all the unvaccinated dogs will be confined and killed.
In August 2023, over
2000 dogs were vaccinated in the districts of Kabale, Rukiga and Rubanda
against rabies. The operation was conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture,
Animal Husbandry and Fisheries with support from Mission Rabies.
Rabies is a zoonotic
viral disease affecting the central nervous system. In up to 99% of human
rabies cases, dogs are responsible for virus transmission, according to the
World Health Organization. Rabies spreads to people and animals via saliva,
usually through bites, scratches, or direct contact with mucosa like eyes, mouth,
or open wounds.
Symptoms of rabies
include generic signs like fever, pain and unusual or unexplained tingling,
pricking, or burning sensations at the wound site. As the virus moves to the
central nervous system, progressive and fatal inflammation of the brain and
spinal cord develops. Clinical rabies in people can be managed but very rarely
cured, and not without severe neurological deficits.
