5 people in Vietnam’s Dong Nai exposed to rabies after slaughtering dog, eating its meat

The Dong Nai Center for Disease Control (CDC) on Thursday reported that a local man had died from rabies.

The victim, N.K.H., 54, was a resident of Dong Tam Commune, Dong Nai Province.

According to the investigation, H. worked on a farm in the province's Tan Loi Commune, where he kept two large dogs and one small dog.

Over a month ago, H. had an open wound on the index finger of his left hand. 

He frequently petted and fed his dogs, and one of the dogs licked his wound. He did not seek medical attention or receive preventive treatment.

On June 16, one of the big dogs showed signs of aggression and killed the small dog. 

When H. tried to intervene, the dog broke free from its chain and attacked a neighbor’s dog, killing it.

Residents then killed the aggressive dog and gave it to five individuals, aged 16 to 38, who took it to a nearby stream to butcher and eat.

On July 10, H. began experiencing difficulty breathing, body itching, hydrophobia, and hypersensitivity to sound, light, and fan noise.

He was taken to Military Hospital 175 in Ho Chi Minh City, where he was diagnosed with septic shock, pneumonia, suspected rabies, multi-organ damage, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.

H. was discharged from the hospital on July 17 at his family’s request but passed away later that evening. Test results confirmed he was positive for the rabies virus.

The Dong Nai CDC also reported that five people were exposed to the rabies virus through direct contact during the butchering, processing, and consumption of the dog.

All five are ethnic minorities living in difficult circumstances.

At the time of the epidemiological survey, none of them showed symptoms of rabies and were in normal health.

Immediately upon receiving the report, the Dong Nai CDC, in coordination with the Dong Phu Regional Medical Center and relevant units, disinfected H.’s house and surrounding areas.

They also investigated individuals who had been bitten, scratched, or in contact with the suspected rabid dog and the deceased patient.

The five exposed individuals were guided and supported in receiving rabies vaccinations.

Local authorities were urged to raise public awareness about the dangers of rabies and preventive measures, conduct a full inventory of local dogs and cats to facilitate vaccination, and require pet owners to promise not to let animals roam freely and to muzzle pets when they are taken outside.