A MYANMAR man who contracted rabies after being bitten by a puppy has died, becoming the first person in Thailand to do so in 2026 with owners of dogs and cats urged to vaccinate them against this disease annually, Naewna newspaper said today (Feb. 13).
Dr. Montien Kanasawasdi, director-general of the Department of Disease Control, said the 36-year-old Myanmar man who died on Jan. 25 year was bitten by the puppy last month but did not clean the wound nor seek medical treatment, particularly a rabies vaccination.
The puppy was not found making it impossible to determine its symptoms or history.
The public should beware that infected animals are found throughout the country, particularly in the eastern, northeastern, and southern regions.
In 2025, seven deaths from rabies were reported in Chonburi, Tak, Sisaket, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chachoengsao and Rayong provinces. All died because they did not seek medical attention after being bitten, thus not receiving post-exposure rabies vaccination. More than half of the infections were contracted from owned dogs
Many people are still unaware of the dangers of this disease, which is a zoonotic disease that can occur year-round.
Those who are bitten, scratched, or having a wound licked by an animal should “wash the wound, apply antiseptic, quarantine the animal, seek medical attention and complete the rabies vaccination course,” Dr. Montien said.
Pet owners should have their dogs and cats vaccinated against rabies annually to build immunity in the animals. Dogs and cats are the animals most frequently found to have rabies and are at the highest risk of transmitting it to humans.
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Top – Rabies virus. Credit: NIAID via Unsplash
Front Page – A fierce dog. Photo – Amarin TV
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