Kisumu on high alert over rabies outbreak

Health officers in Kisumu have been directed to be on high alert over the confirmed rabies outbreak in the county.

County health director Dickens Onyango asked the health officers in the seven sub-counties to ensure that any animal bite is treated with anti-rabies antigens.

He said enough supply of anti-rabies vaccine was sent to all sub-counties through sub county pharmacists and technologists.

“The public must not be asked to buy anti-rabies vaccines. Awareness is a key intervention for rabies campaign,” Onyango said yesterday.

The medic also directed the health officers to ensure active sensitisation of members of the public using all the available channels, including community health volunteers.

“Potency of the anti-rabies vaccines should be checked daily like any other antigen. Besides this anti-rabies defaulters should be traced so that the scheduled treatment is complete,” Onyango said.

The subcounty diseases surveillance coordinators are also under instruction to detect cases of dog bites promptly.

Onyango said a team of national and county government officials is carrying out investigation in the field over the rabies outbreak. They are also reducing the number of stray dogs.

On Wednesday, authorities raised alarm over an outbreak of rabies in Seme subcounty following the death of two children in two weeks.

County director of veterinary services Evance Odhiambo cited the deaths of a boy and a girl, both aged 10.

 “The deaths have been confirmed to have resulted from rabies disease which was dog-mediated,” Odhiambo said.

 The boy, he said, was bitten by a stray dog. He was taken to a local hospital and given the anti-tetanus injection.

“He was then sent back as the parents could not raise the required money for anti-rabies injection. He then developed nervous signs later on and when taken back to the hospital, he passed on,” Odhiambo said.

The same dog also bit the girl. “The girl was taken to the nearest health facility immediately after the bite and was put on anti-rabies injection for day 1 and 3 and discontinued because of lack of funds,” Odhiambo said.

He said the girl was taken back to the hospital to continue with injection upon learning about the death of the boy.

She was given the third injection but passed on June 23. The two victims are from two different villages but same sublocation.

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