Baghlan: Rabid dogs bite 340 people in 3-month

PUL-I-KHUMRI (Pajhwok): Rabid dogs have bitten 340 individuals in the first three months of ongoing solar year but none of the affected persons have died, an official said Thursday.

Doctor Shah Mohammad Hofiani, the head of epidemics control section at the Public Health Department, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the dogs bite incidents increased compare to the past year.

Hofiani said, the dogs bit 642 individuals including women and children in 1399 and 686 in 1400. He added that the dogs have bit 340 people in the first three months of ongoing solar year (1401).

“We still do not know the exact number for the second quarter because these figures are still in pending” Hofiani said.

The number of rabid dogs increased with the surge in the number of normal dogs on the streets.

Akhtar Mohammad, a victim of dog bite told Pajhwok Afghan News: “When a rabid dog bite me three months ago, I immediately went to clinic and took rabies vaccine jab, at first I was concerned about the disease, but now I am fine”.

Fakhruddin Harron, a senior municipality official of Puli Khumri told Pajhwok Afghan News, due to the non-implementation of dog control plan the number of street and rabid dogs had increased.

In cooperation with the municipality and health department, work was underway on the separation of the free-ranging dogs from house dogs.

Besides Baghlan, people in Kabul city are also concerned about the growing number of free ranging-dogs.

Aw/nh