With more than a dozen fatalities in the past two years, Thailand is stepping up efforts to eliminate rabies entirely.
Chonburi provincial health officials outlined the Ministry of Public Health’s strategy to comply with the World Health Organization’s goals of eliminating rabies by 2020.
Thailand has recorded fewer than 10 rabies cases in each of the past five years, but had 14 deaths since the start of 2016. Three of those fatalities occurred in Chonburi, Chachoengsao and Samut Prakan.
Samples taken from suspect animal carriers found that 7 percent of them were infected.
HRH Princess Chulabhorn chairs Thailand’s anti-rabies campaign, which is built upon the principles of preventing infection by avoiding and not antagonizing stray dogs and other possible rabies carriers, quickly reporting suspected cases and responding immediately to animal bites and infections.
