13-year-old dies 2 months after being bitten by rabid dog

A 13-year-old girl died after being bitten by a rabid dog last February, according to Darlene Cay's Sunday 24 Oras Weekend report.

In a video, the victim, Jamaica, was being tied to her hospital bed as she sometimes became restless and thrashed about.

Upon arriving at the hospital, her mother, Roselyn Seraspe, said Jamaica suddenly felt weak and foamed at the mouth.

She was declared dead 12 hours after being taken to hospital. Based on the death certificate of the victim, the cause of death was rabies encephalitis.

“Hindi ko tanggap, ang hirap kasi alam mo ine-expect na mawawala siya sa amin, biglaan,” said her mother, Roselyn.

(I can't seem to accept it; it's hard because we didn't expect to lose her so suddenly.)

She said she brought her daughter to the hospital as she had a fever and felt anxious.

“Sabi niya, 'Mama hindi na ako maka-inom, hirap na akong maka-inom ng tubig. Mama baka may rabies na ako.' Doon sa narinig ko na may rabies. Sabi ko, 'Bakit? Nakagat ka ba ng aso?'” said Roselyn.

(She said, Mom, I can't drink anymore; it's hard for me to drink water. Mom, maybe I have rabies. When I heard rabies. I asked, "Why? Have you been bitten by a dog?")

It turned out that Jamaica had been bitten by a dog last February at the Vitas Park in Tondo. At the time, she had told her parents that had been caught on a wire and that had caused her wound.

“Sabi ko bakit ngayon ka lang nag-sabi? Sabi niya, Mama, sorry Mama, sorry sabi niyang ganon. Sabi ko hindi naman ako magaglit sayo kung sinabi mo, dapat naagapan. ‘Ma, mamamatay na ba ako, mamamatay na ba ako?’ Doon ako kinabahan parang gusto ko nang mag-hysterical,” Roselyn said.

(I asked, "Why did you just tell us now?" She said, "Mom, sorry, Mom, sorry!" I said I would not have been mad at her. We would have taken care of her. "Ma, am I going to die, am I going to die?" I was so distraught that I wanted to be hysterical.)

Based on the investigation by barangay officials, the dog that bit Jamaica had bitten seven other people on the same day.

It was discovered that in the middle of a birthday party in Barangay 99 in Tondo on February 10, people were troubled by a dog that was seen running away.

It turned out that the dog had bitten two people at the party, Imari Loiv Retiro and her aunt.

“Nang pakaatake niya sa akin sinisipa ko na siya then pagka-sipa ko sa kaniya talagang sinusugod niya talaga ako,” said Imari.

(When it attacked me, I tried kicking it away. When I kicked it, it kept attacking me.)

She immediately got the wound treated, and the barangay staff was able to capture the dog. It was turned over to the Vitas Veterinary Board but died after eight days.

According to doctors, it may take a few days, weeks, or months before the symptoms of a person infected with rabies appear. So, if an individual is bitten, licked, or scratched by a dog, it would be best to clean the wound immediately or rush to the nearest health center or hospital.

The injury should not be ignored because rabies is deadly.

“Pag ang animal is infected with rabies immediately nagta-travel ang virus sa ating system. Dapat yan wina-wash yan. Ten minutes vigorously with running water. Kung mero kayong antiseptic, meron ka alcohol o meron kayong iodine, on the site, pour liberally doon sa area ng wound site," said Dr. Juancho Bunyi, Muntinlupa City Health Officer.

(When an animal is infected with rabies, the virus immediately travels through our system. That should be washed. Ten minutes vigorously with running water. If you have an antiseptic, alcohol, or iodine, apply liberally to the area of the wound site.) — Sherylin Untalan/DVM, GMA Integrated News