Girl dies of rabies at Mayon center

An 11-year-old girl died of rabies after being bitten by a dog at an evacuation center in Barangay Mabinit in Legazpi City while Ma-yon volcano was spewing lava fragments down Bonga gully last Saturday morning.

Mary Rose Mina, a deaf-mute, died at home after her family took her from the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH), where she had been confined on orders of government doctors.

In a bulletin, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phi-volcs) said clear visual conditions Sunday night showed forceful expulsion of incandescent lava fragments up to about 50 meters above the crater, along with jet-like roaring sounds.

"Most of the fragments fell back into the crater but some particles landed on the uppermost slopes," read the bulletin. "Mayon is still in an unquiet stage as indicated by elevated seismicity, high gas output rates and summit pyroclastic ejection."

Phivolcs said Mayon is still classified at Alert Level 5, which means it is in a state of "hazardous eruption" with a potential to erupt more explosively.

Dr. Sarah Vasquez, Legazpi City health officer, said Mina was bitten by a dog in Barangay Mabinit last June and her family brought her to the hospital after she suffered a rabies attack at an evacuation center.

Despite pleas from barangay health workers, Mina’s family refused to take her to the nearest health clinic for consultation after she was bitten by the dog, she added.

Vasquez said all members of Mina’s family will be given anti-rabies shots to prevent the highly communicable disease from spreading in Barangay Mabinit.

On the other hand, Dr. Aldy Cua of BRTTH told The STAR yesterday he tried to convince Mina’s family to allow doctors to complete her medication before they brought her home.

"I let the parents sign (a waiver) that they are bringing the patient home despite our advice," he said.

Two babies were born last Saturday in separate evacuation centers in Barangay Mabinit.

Josefina Ralda, 28, gave birth to a baby girl at the Baligang Evacuation Center in Camalig town, while a baby boy was born to an unidentified mother at the San Roque Evacuation Center.

Twelve babies have been born in various evacuation centers in Legazpi City since Mayon volcano started erupting June 24.

Yolanda Guanzon, provincial social welfare chief, said if Mayon continues to rumble for several more days, food and medicine supplies for evacuees would run out.

"If the trend continues, we will really have a shortage," she said. "The provincial government had already coordinated with (Malacañang) to augment stocks."

On the other hand, Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes told radio station dzMM yesterday there would be "certain problems in tents, potable water," but that officials are doing their best.

The evacuees need more medicines, including tablets to purify drinking water, he added.

Reyes said there were about 48,774 evacuees from 38 barangays now housed in about 21 schools converted into evacuation centers. — With reports from Felix delos Santos