Snowy Owl
Retired in 2010, In Memoriam
China reports 2nd most human rabies cases
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/art/2006/09/26/293022/China_reports_2nd_most_human_rabies_cases.htm
THE battle against rabies will continue to be a pressing task as China has the world's second most rabies cases, next only to India, China News Service said today.
China reported 1,735 deaths in the 1,874 rabies cases in 21 provinces from January to August, said the county's Ministry of Health yesterday. It almost has a 100 percent mortality rate.
The rabies virus can be transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected animal. The virus attacks the central nerve system and is fatal if treatment is not administered.
Every year, more than 50,000 people die from this fatal disease around the world, most of whom live in developing countries like India, Thailand, Vietnam and Burma, said the report.
The rabies cases reported in North America and Europe mainly dealt with wild animals. The human rabies cases found were mainly transferred by the migrant population, the report said.
The country's peak periods of the virus outbreak were in the 1970s and 1980s. It reported 7,028 rabies patients in 1981 alone. The situation has been under control by China's ministry of Health, Public Security and Agriculture since the mid-1980s, the report said.
In 1996, the infection cases dropped dramatically to 159.
However, human rabies cases are on the rise in China in recent years.
The human rabies cases reported in the first eight months of this year increased by 29.2 percent, compared to the same period last year. The most severely hit areas include south China's Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hunan and Hubei provinces.
The hike in rabies cases is mostly attributed to the huge increase in pets raised in cities and villages since 1997, with the administration on pets vaccinations lagging behind, said the ministry.
More rabies patients are reported during the summer and autumn than in spring or winter.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health revised a regulation requiring doctors and grassroots health organizations to report outbreaks within two hours of discovery.
Rabies is a preventable disease, if people vaccinated their pet dogs, avoid close contact with stray animals and visit a hospital immediately after being attacked, said doctors. Pet owners should also go to the hospital if they're bitten by their pets. Dogs that don't show any symptoms of rabies could still be carrying the virus.
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/art/2006/09/26/293022/China_reports_2nd_most_human_rabies_cases.htm
THE battle against rabies will continue to be a pressing task as China has the world's second most rabies cases, next only to India, China News Service said today.
China reported 1,735 deaths in the 1,874 rabies cases in 21 provinces from January to August, said the county's Ministry of Health yesterday. It almost has a 100 percent mortality rate.
The rabies virus can be transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected animal. The virus attacks the central nerve system and is fatal if treatment is not administered.
Every year, more than 50,000 people die from this fatal disease around the world, most of whom live in developing countries like India, Thailand, Vietnam and Burma, said the report.
The rabies cases reported in North America and Europe mainly dealt with wild animals. The human rabies cases found were mainly transferred by the migrant population, the report said.
The country's peak periods of the virus outbreak were in the 1970s and 1980s. It reported 7,028 rabies patients in 1981 alone. The situation has been under control by China's ministry of Health, Public Security and Agriculture since the mid-1980s, the report said.
In 1996, the infection cases dropped dramatically to 159.
However, human rabies cases are on the rise in China in recent years.
The human rabies cases reported in the first eight months of this year increased by 29.2 percent, compared to the same period last year. The most severely hit areas include south China's Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hunan and Hubei provinces.
The hike in rabies cases is mostly attributed to the huge increase in pets raised in cities and villages since 1997, with the administration on pets vaccinations lagging behind, said the ministry.
More rabies patients are reported during the summer and autumn than in spring or winter.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health revised a regulation requiring doctors and grassroots health organizations to report outbreaks within two hours of discovery.
Rabies is a preventable disease, if people vaccinated their pet dogs, avoid close contact with stray animals and visit a hospital immediately after being attacked, said doctors. Pet owners should also go to the hospital if they're bitten by their pets. Dogs that don't show any symptoms of rabies could still be carrying the virus.