Facing this threat, specialized agencies and local authorities across the province have deployed a rabies vaccination campaign for dog and cat herds, while stepping up dissemination and advising residents to promptly receive rabies vaccines as soon as they are bitten or scratched by dogs or cats to prevent human rabies.

Summer months, especially from May to August annually, are defined as times with high risks of rabies outbreaks. Protracted hot weather creates favorable conditions for the rabies virus to develop and spread in the community. Since the beginning of the year, the entire province has detected one dog sample testing positive for the rabies virus in Mường Toong 3 village, Mường Toong commune.

According to the evaluation of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the risk of rabies continuing to occur and transmit to humans in the coming time is exceptionally high. This stems from the fact that the rabies vaccination rate for dog and cat herds currently stands very low, and many pets vaccinated in 2025 have seen their immunity expire or approach expiration, while booster shots have not been deployed synchronously.

Furthermore, pet herd management across many localities remains limited, with roaming dogs without muzzles or leashes in public places continuing to be a common sight. This is one of the root causes increasing the risk of dogs biting people and spreading rabies in the community. By June 4, only nine communes and wards across the province had deployed rabies vaccinations for dog and cat herds with a total of 8,674 animals vaccinated, reaching only about 11% of the total herd.

Faced with the rising threat of rabies, the Provincial People’s Committee directed departments, sectors, and localities to urgently and drastically deploy synchronous prevention and control measures. The core focus is to review and evaluate risks down to each village and hamlet, clearly identifying key areas such as locations with many cases of dog and cat bites, areas where outbreaks have occurred or animal rabies has been recorded, regions with low vaccination rates, and densely populated sectors. Localities are required to accelerate the pace of rabies vaccinations for domestic dogs and cats, striving for a minimum vaccination rate of 80% of the total herd to create a “shield” protecting the community before rabies breaks out.

Sín Thầu commune is one of the first taxpayers and local units in the province to finalize its 2026 rabies vaccination plan across all 21 villages, utilizing a total of 800 vaccine doses. Right from the beginning of March, the Commune People’s Committee formulated a plan, allocated funding to purchase vaccines and vaccination supplies, and organized extensive dissemination to residents, achieving 100% completion by April.

Đàm Văn Cường, Vice Chairman of the Sín Thầu commune People’s Committee, noted that early deployment does not only protect domestic herds before disease risks escalate, but also contributes to raising public awareness regarding responsibilities in local rabies prevention and control.

Alongside vaccinations, Sín Thầu commune pays special attention to dissemination work so that residents understand the danger of rabies, the responsibilities of pet owners, and regulations on dog and cat management through the loudspeaker system, village meetings, and direct communication at the grassroots level. Lò Văn Hà, Deputy Director of the Sín Thầu commune General Service Center, stated that the center has coordinated closely with specialized agencies, health stations, village heads, and related units to disseminate and urge residents to comply with rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats alongside rabies control regulations, while boosting communication so that people clearly grasp the severity of the disease to take proactive prevention measures.

In Na Son commune, the rabies vaccination campaign for dog and cat herds is also being carried out urgently. Since June 8, the commune General Service Center began organizing vaccinations across 41 groups and villages with a total of 1,250 vaccine doses. Phạm Quang Thành, Director of the Na Son commune General Service Center, informed that information regarding the rabies vaccination plan for dogs and cats has been widely disseminated by the commune to each village. The center coordinates with village development boards and residential group heads to review pet numbers at each household to ensure no eligible animals are missed, expecting to complete 100% of the set plan by the end of June.

Rabies is one of the most dangerous infectious zoonotic diseases transmitted from animals to humans, with a mortality rate approaching 100% once symptoms develop. Realizing this clearly, along with deploying vaccinations for pets, functional sectors across the province are strengthening coordination to prevent human rabies.

Accordingly, the Department of Agriculture and Environment frequently monitors the animal disease situation, strengthening guidance and urging localities to execute vaccinations, manage dog and cat herds, and promptly process arising outbreaks. The health sector is stepping up dissemination on the danger of rabies, guiding people on how to treat wounds when bitten or scratched by dogs or cats. Medical facilities are required to ensure a full supply of rabies vaccines and anti-rabies serum to serve the public’s preventive treatment needs.

Medical experts recommend that when bitten by dogs, cats, or animals suspected of having rabies, people must immediately wash the wound thoroughly with soap under running tap water, sanitize the wound, and quickly go to a medical facility for consultation and preventive vaccination, absolutely avoiding self-treatment at home or subjective monitoring.

With the drastic involvement of authorities and specialized sectors, coupled with the proactive awareness of residents in vaccinating their dog and cat herds, a solid “shield” will be built to protect community health, preventing tragic deaths due to rabies.