In its statistics, Al-Thawra Public Hospital in Dhamar province reported that eight people have died of rabies. Six cases are aged between 5-14 years while two cases belong to the age group 45-90 years.

Dhamar Rabies Program revealed that there had been over 1,150 cases of rabies resulting from bites of stray dogs which are on the rise in the province. Health experts always call on authorities to launch special campaigns for avoiding stray dogs and to train health workers on how to administer rubies vaccines for victims.   

Hundreds of rabies cases are reported nationwide and they are mostly caused by the bites of the stray dogs. The bite could sometimes be fatal once it takes place in a remote area where the medical centers, if available, have no vaccines for such diseases. 

Rabies, also known as “hydrophobia” is a viral disease that causes acute encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in humans. It is most commonly caused by a bite from an infected animal, especially dogs and cats.

It is usually fatal when left untreated. The rabies virus makes its way to the brain by following the peripheral nerves. The incubation period of the disease could take a few months.

In related news, the Ministry of Public Health and Population in collaboration with the National Council for Population launched last Saturday the national strategy for the prevention of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

The Executive Director of Aids Combating Unit at the National Council of Population belittled the success achieved as for combating and preventing AIDS and noted that the launched strategy does not come to the desired level, stressing that all official and civil society organizations should work for upgrading this strategy and achieving its goals.

There are over 2,400 cases of AIDS in Yemen according to the official reports of the Ministry of Health; however, experts stress the number is bigger than what is announced and hint that different reasons, mostly social, prevent AIDS patients from disclosing, reporting their illness or visiting hospitals.