CEBU, Philippines — Eight of Cebu City's 80 barangays are in a "high risk" status due to the presence of animal rabies.
While she did not them, Dr. Jessica Maribojoc, city veterinarian, said the City's Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries confirmed the presence of rabies in these barangays and is now working to address the situation through a massive effort on animal vaccinations.
"Karon gyud kay naningkamot ta sa Cebu City nga mo-decrease atong animal rabies cases. Good thing kay naa pa ta sa eight, but we are aiming to decrease pa gyud for the next year," she said.
She said the confirmed rabies cases are specifically in dogs, who went rabid. Last year, the DVMF recorded nine barangays that were considered as "high risk" for rabies.
Maribojoc said they already set strategies to lessen the number of rabies cases, specifically by targeting to vaccinate 70 to 80 percent of the city's animal population.
"In what way? Dili ta mobalhin gikan ana nga barangay or kana na sitio kung wala pa nahuman og bakuna (sa rabies vaccine ang mga animals). Mao na ang usa sa mga strategies nato," she said. — (FREEMAN)