BACOLOD CITY – Two more persons have died from suspected rabies in Negros Occidental.

Provincial Health Officer Girlie Pinongan said four individuals have passed away from the virus in the province this year.

The third victim was a 21-year-old woman in Cauayan town.

Pinongan said that the 25-year-old victim died in a government hospital here on Sunday, May 25, two months after she was bitten by a dog in her hometown Kabankalan City.

Pinongan said that based on initial investigation conducted by a rabies coordinator in Kabankalan City, the victim was bitten by her friend’s domesticated dog last March. She added that the dog also died that month.

The victim had no history of vaccination against rabies, while her friend, who was also bitten by a dog, was vaccinated.

Pinongan said that the victim manifested symptoms such as hydrophobia and fever, indicating suspected rabies. She added that contact tracing is ongoing to track those who were exposed to her.

Pinongan said that once the case is a human rabies death, it can be considered alarming.

The Provincial Health Office recorded its first suspected rabies death last February, a four-year-old boy from Don Salvador Benedicto town, who was bitten by a dog, while the second victim was a 72-year-old man from Hinoba-an town, who had a dog bite three years ago and was reportedly eating dog meat, and died in March.

Pinongan reiterated her reminder to the public to go to a nearest health center for vaccination in case of animal bite and scratches. She stressed that such cases should not be neglected.

Dr. Grace Tan, head of the City Health Office Environmental Sanitation Division here, said that contact tracing is also ongoing, since the fourth victim stayed in this city before she died. The CHO has not recorded any rabies deaths here so far this year.