Expert says rabies in Thailand still not under control and official statistics may be misleading

[webfact]

Expert says rabies still not under control and official statistics may be misleading

By Pratch Rujivanarom 
The Nation 

 

File photo

 

RABIES OUTBREAK in Thailand is far from being under control, a medical expert has warned, even though official statistics from the Livestock Development Department show a declining rate of rabies infection.

 

Prior to World Rabies Day today, Livestock Development Department director-general Sorawit Thaneeto yesterday said most rabies infection control goals had been met, while the number of rabies-positive cases in animals were also decreasing.

 

Taken together, the figures signified satisfactory progress in the government’s efforts to eradicate the disease, said Sorawit.

 

A joint operation between Livestock Development Department and Local Administration Department has since last October vaccinated 8.39 million dogs and cats nationwide, and has already surpassed this year’s goal of 8.24 million animals.

 

This marked good progress in disease control efforts, said Sorawit, adding that the number of provinces with continuing reports of rabies infections had been reduced to 20. The number of new rabies infections in animals was also decreasing, and the infection rate this month was below the same period of last year, he said.

 

New rabies-positive tests number 52 so far in September, according to infection monitoring by Livestock Development Department, or 12.99 per cent of samples tested. That compares favourably to 18.49 per cent from the first 27 days of last September.

 

Since January 1 until yesterday, a total 1,296 animals, or 15.3 per cent of 8,472 samples, were found to be infected.

 

The rabies infection monitoring system also reported that positive rabies cases were found in 54 out of 77 provinces of Thailand, with Surin having the highest disease prevalence.

 

The rabies outbreak was still active in Saraburi, Chonburi, Samut Prakan, Chaiyaphom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Buri Ram, Yasothon, Surin, Amnart Chareon, Kalasin, Khon Kaen, Mukdahan, Roi Et, Nong Khai, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Phetchaburi, Samut Songkram, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ranong, and Songkhla provinces.

 

An infectious-disease expert said there were still reasons to be concerned. Rabies infections in local areas were not completely under control, said Dr Thiravat Hemachudha, head of the Emerging Infectious Disease Health Science Centre at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine. 

 

His observations suggested the information from new cases in animals were ambiguous, he said.

 

This information matched with reports from local medical practitioners, who said they continued to face a high infection rate of rabies among stray animals.

 

Thiravat said that the infection-rate statistics provided by the authorities were misleading. The reduced number of cases of new rabies infections in animals was a result of a lower number of samples being sent to laboratories for testing, he said.

 

“I urge the Livestock Development Department to inform the public with accurate data and not try to hide the truth just to prevent public panic,” he said.

 

“We must face the reality in order to solve this problem.”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30355353

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-09-28

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The reduced number of cases of new rabies infections in animals was a result of a lower number of samples being sent to laboratories for testing, he said.

the question isn't whether the number of samples is higher or lower than before, it should be whether the number of samples meets the lowest threshold for sampling, pure statistics

[AhFarangJa]

Official statistics are always misleading......

[BigBadGeordie]

1 hour ago, AhFarangJa said:

Official statistics are always misleading......

95% of people would probably agree with that statement.

+/- 5% margin of error.

[digger70]

The Rabies problem Could've/Should've been under control/eradecated if the Government had acted properly 

by culling all Soi Dogs and Roaming Dogs that are owned by People . There's Absolutely No Excuse for the Incompetent Government to Not do the right Thing.

[Krataiboy]

“We must face the reality in order to solve this problem.”

 

That would be a first.

[Foexie]

Hi everybody,

 

i have a question about rabbies.

 

Can somebody tell me if you can get a vaccin in Thailand for rabbies? Can you get it in the drug store or need to go to the hospital too?

I can get it in my country but that will cost me around 8000 bht. My friend want it too but with 4 peoples in his family it will get expensive.

 

Thanks for the info.

[watcharacters]

4 hours ago, AhFarangJa said:

Official statistics are always misleading......

 

Especially is seems in Thailand.

 

[marko kok prong]

Solution is easy,kill all soi dogs and any others without collars and owners address.

[Morakot]

3 hours ago, BigBadGeordie said:

95% of people would probably agree with that statement.

+/- 5% margin of error.

 

50% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

[kannot]

being deeply  religious Im praying for a really severe outbreak leading to some common sense (doubtful) and a mass eradication of the soi dogs........... yes I know bats are the main distributor, once the Thais see  it as a  major problem their  buddhist nonsense  will fly  out of the window as they club and beat every dog  they can find to death

[kannot]

1 hour ago, digger70 said:

The Rabies problem Could've/Should've been under control/eradecated if the Government had acted properly 

by culling all Soi Dogs and Roaming Dogs that are owned by People . There's Absolutely No Excuse for the Incompetent Government to Not do the right Thing.

you forget one thing........................................TIT

[Orton Rd]

Get the army to do something usefull, - culling soi dogs, 2 million would be a good start

[ryane66]

Wow, 8.39 million vaccinated. That is approximately 23,000 a day. Very efficient,  hardworking staff. ????

[sikishrory]

I did the course of shots at a small clinic. Was supposed to be 3 over the course of 28 days but can apparently be done in 21 days. Last visit I asked him what happens afterwards and he tells me I will have to get a booster each year. 

The WHO website has a lot clearer info. 

If you get the vaccine you willstill need to get shots from a doctor is bitten. You are not immune just better protected and not as many shots.

Also you will need about 3 boosters during the next how ever many years. Otherwise you revert back to the same level of someone unvaccinated. 

So I did it but am unsure how beneficial it is as I am not immune anyway.

The vaccine cost me 500 per shot at a small thai clinic in pattaya. However for any vaccinations the Hospital for Tropical Diseases
Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University appears to be cheapest (rabies verorab 347 baht).

The reason these amd a lot of other vaccinations and medicines are so much cheaper in Thailand than the west is because Thailand buys more so therefore gets cheaper rates.

[The manic]

On 9/28/2018 at 6:14 AM, Foexie said:

Hi everybody,

 

i have a question about rabbies.

 

Can somebody tell me if you can get a vaccin in Thailand for rabbies? Can you get it in the drug store or need to go to the hospital too?

I can get it in my country but that will cost me around 8000 bht. My friend want it too but with 4 peoples in his family it will get expensive.

 

Thanks for the info.

Yes you can get it here. Many pharmacy and clinics offer the service as do hospitals. It might take two shots a month apart.  However, even if you have the shots and you get bitten you still need to get treament. The shots do not give you full immunity just an extra 24 hours to get treatment. AFAIK.

[kannot]

On 9/28/2018 at 1:55 PM, Orton Rd said:

Get the army to do something usefull, - culling soi dogs, 2 million would be a good start

given the choice  id  rather they culled generals  first.............thats how bad it is

[rickudon]

On 9/28/2018 at 2:45 PM, ryane66 said:

Wow, 8.39 million vaccinated. That is approximately 23,000 a day. Very efficient,  hardworking staff. ????

 And 20 million dogs and cats were born last year ..........

[bowerboy]

On 9/28/2018 at 2:45 PM, ryane66 said:

Wow, 8.39 million vaccinated. That is approximately 23,000 a day. Very efficient,  hardworking staff. ????

 

Bingo...I was thinking the exact same thing....1,000 per hour every hour for the last year....really???

[Foexie]

4 hours ago, The manic said:

Yes you can get it here. Many pharmacy and clinics offer the service as do hospitals. It might take two shots a month apart.  However, even if you have the shots and you get bitten you still need to get treament. The shots do not give you full immunity just an extra 24 hours to get treatment. AFAIK.

Hi Manic,

 

thank you for your reply.

 

Do you have any idea about the price? I guess it should be much cheaper then what i need to pay here.

 

I will check again about immunity because i did read here that it should work 100%.

 

 

[pattayadgw]

A bit misleading, haaa!!  just like the official stats for road accident deaths... also a bit misleading!!

[Orton Rd]

9 hours ago, rickudon said:

 And 20 million dogs and cats were born last year ..........

 

 

Like trying to bale out a sinking boat with a small bucket, eventually the boat will sink