Sometimes the news in Thailand is half hearted and it looks like it is meant to scare people off. According to the National News Bureau of Thailand there is no cure for Rabies but most of the patients that get a vaccine after they got exposed to rabies never get the disease.
The Government wanted to tell people that the rabies disease can be transmitted during the winter period as well and that we this year have more cases then the year before.
It should be any journalist duty to report the truth and help the reader understand the news, not just copy it.
A quick search on the internet shows that you can vaccinate yourself after you been exposed and you probably live another day if you do. So even if there is no real medication taking the vaccine after you got bitten or licked will probably save your life.
Here is a copy of the news from the NNT regarding rabies in Thailand
The Ministry of Public Health has warned people of rabies during this winter since no medication is available at present, according to Permanent Secretary for Public Health, MD Paijit Warachit.
MD Paijit said people still misunderstood that rabies would spread only during summer but actually, it could be found in all seasons, especially during winter when male dogs could get rabies from fighting for their mates. Rabies can transfer to people by biting, scratching or licking. Patients can fall ill from four days to as long as four years but mostly will live not more than one year. All cases result in death as there is no medical cure.
Patients suffering from rabies will prefer to stay in dark corners, as well as being anxious and aggressive. Terminal symptoms include locked jaws, large production of saliva, inability to swallow, hydrophobia, hallucination, and paralysis. 24 patients died of rabies in ten provinces this year. The number is already higher than last year.
Meanwhile, Disease Control Department Director-General, MD Manit Teeratantikanont, told dog owners to have their pets vaccinated. Anyone bitten by dogs is advised to quarantine the dog to observe its symptoms, bathe the wound, and meet physicians for vaccination. About 400,000 people are vaccinated against rabies annually
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