Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City are the only two localities in Viet Nam to have been recognised as rabies-free zones by the Department of Animal Health under Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The information was released by the Da Nang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development at its Wednesday meeting to review the implementation of the ‘Building Rabies-Free Zones in Da Nang’ project.

After two years of implementing the project, Da Nang has successfully eliminated the rabies virus in dogs and cats.

Currently, 18,373 families across Da Nang are raising 24,888 dogs and cats in total. Of which, 17,876 of the pets have been already vaccinated, accounting for 95.6% of the total.

Every year, an average of over 10,000 people in Da Nang are bitten by dogs. In 2020, a combined total of 10,669 local residents were bitten by dogs. Over recent years, no cases of dog and cat rabies have been reported in the city, whilst there have been no human deaths from being bitten by dogs or cats.

In the years ahead, Da Nang will make greater effort to ensure that 100% of the pets will be vaccinated against rabies. Also, transporting and slaughtering dogs and cats infected with rabies will be prohibited. In addition, specialised teams will be tasked with capturing stray dogs and rabies-infected animals.

Rabies is a dangerous infectious disease with a very high mortality rate, and rabies virus is transmitted through bites by infected animals, mostly dogs and cats. However, the disease can be prevented and treated by using vaccines and anti-rabies serum. 

According to Viet Nam's national blueprint on prevention and elimination of rabies in the period between 2018 and 2021, governments of Vietnamese localities request dogs to be registered, leashed or kept in owners’ living spaces and muzzled when playing in public areas. Dog owners have to pay fines when their off-leash dogs are seized by law enforcement. If off-leash dogs bite people, their owners must pay for the victims’ medical needs.

The functional bodies advise the public to carefully clean injuries with water and soap in 15 minutes when being bitten by cats or dogs, and then go to the nearest health clinic for consultation and vaccination.

By HOANG HIEP, DIEM HANG - Translated by M.D