Rio de Janeiro confirms first rabies death since 2006.
Death of teenager bitten by bat triggers alert in the state.
Brazil Agency - The Rio de Janeiro State Health Department (SES-RJ) reported today (17) that it confirmed the first death from rabies in the state since 2006. The victim was a 14-year-old teenager, who was bitten by a bat in Angra dos Reis, in the south of the state.
According to the SES (State Health Secretariat), the teenager was bitten by the animal at the end of January and did not receive any doses of the rabies vaccine. On February 22nd, he presented symptoms of the disease, which led to his hospitalization on March 7th.
Five days after being hospitalized, he was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit of the Martagão Gesteira Institute of Childcare and Pediatrics (IPPMG/UFRJ), where the disease was confirmed on March 20th through a blood test. The teenager died from the disease on March 30th.
On June 10th, the state secretariat held a meeting with representatives from the 92 municipal health secretariats. The meeting reinforced the need to keep local surveillance teams trained.
A report was sent last Monday (15) to municipalities in Rio de Janeiro, alerting them to the Ministry of Health's (MS) protocols for preventing rabies cases.
"The SES emphasizes that there are indications from the Ministry of Health that animal rabies vaccine will be sent to carry out the campaign by November," the statement informs.