Twenty people have died of rabies in Sri Lanka so far this year, according to NewsFirst.
Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Professor Chandana Abheyaratne said four of the deaths were reported from the Puttalam District. He was speaking at an event held in Colombo, NewsFirst reported.
The Minister said the deaths were preventable, adding that had social responsibilities been properly met across society, rabies fatalities — like many dengue deaths — could have been avoided.
Rabies is a viral disease most commonly transmitted to humans through the bite or scratch of an infected animal, usually a dog. It is almost always fatal once symptoms appear, but can be prevented if a person receives prompt post-exposure vaccination after exposure. Sri Lanka has for years run dog vaccination and sterilisation programmes as part of a national drive to eliminate human rabies deaths.
Health authorities routinely urge anyone bitten or scratched by a stray or unvaccinated animal to wash the wound thoroughly and seek medical treatment without delay.
