Rabid dogs roam holiday hotspot, kill at least 78

[Liberal_in_LA]

Source: sf gate

Putu Valentino Rosiadi should have started third grade this month. But instead of buying a new school uniform and notebooks, his father mournfully cradles a black-and-white photo.

The 8-year-old was next door when a stray dog jumped him in May, ripping its teeth into the boy's right calf. He was stitched up at a local hospital and sent home. His family was told no cases of rabies had been reported in their area.

Earlier this month, a high fever hit him. Valentino died two days later.

"He was delirious. There was foam coming out of his mouth," said the boy's father, Komang Suda, 32. "Every time we tried to give him water, it was like he went into shock. He was shaking and very agitated."

A rabies epidemic has gripped Bali, an island of 3 million people and one of Asia's top tourist destinations. Seventy-eight deaths have officially been logged in the past two years, including that of a 40-year-old woman a week ago, and many other deaths have likely gone unreported.





Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/08/01/international/i090542D87.DTL

[nosmokes]

1. Very sad. n/t

[virgogal]

2. 78 people dead,200,000 dogs slaughtered. God,what an awful situation.

[upi402]

3. Get your travel immunizations

Very sad, the poor little guy. His parents are crushed of course. Bad all around.

[struggle4progress]

6. I don't think travel immunizations usually include rabies vaccination

<edit:> Well, apparently, it is sometimes recommended; see

Travelers' Health - Yellow Book
Chapter 2
The Pre-Travel Consultation
Travel-Related Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
Rabies
Charles E. Rupprecht, David R. Shlim
... For certain international travelers, pre-exposure rabies vaccine may be recommended, based on the local incidence of rabies in the country to be visited, the availability of appropriate anti-rabies biologicals, and the intended activity and duration of stay of the traveler.
* A decision to receive pre-exposure rabies immunization may also be based on the likelihood of repeat travel to at-risk destinations over time or taking up residence in a high-risk destination.
* Pre-exposure vaccination may be recommended for veterinarians, animal handlers, field biologists, cavers, missionaries, and certain laboratory workers. Table 2-17 provides criteria for pre-exposure vaccination ...
http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-2/rabies.aspx

[d_b]

4. Damn

Sounds like a bad horror film.

Hope they get it under control.

[babylonsister]

5. There go the tourists and Bali counts on them. They

need to get this under control and curb those dogs while they're at it.

Very sad.

[SidDithers]

7. Very sad...

but unfortunately, when I hear about rabies, all I can think of is The Office and the Rabies Fun Run.

Sid