00:00Trinidad is home to two species of vampire bats, which can potentially transmit the almost always fatal rabies virus.
00:10It's why farmers across southwest Trinidad are increasingly worried about an uptick in bat-biting cases,
00:17because while it's known to happen from time to time on their cattle, it's happening to dogs and humans too.
00:24One farmer in Carapal Road, Irene, says he contacted the Ministry of Agriculture after realising his dogs were being bitten nightly for weeks.
00:35And while they promptly sent a team to vaccinate his dogs, it did not solve the problem.
00:41That did not protect them from being bitten.
00:44As you can see, the dog has a wide hole in the body right now, because it has continuously been bitten every night.
00:51The bats are still alive, they're still attacking, because I subsequently got bitten on the lower portion of my leg from the bats.
00:59What would you like to see happen, sir?
01:01What would I like to see? Any eradication of the bats.
01:04So we could be very sweet and short.
01:06The farmer says he was told by a doctor attached to the Ministry,
01:10without quick vaccination post-human infection, death is a likely outcome.
01:16It's why he was frustrated with the way his case was handled.
01:20At first, I was told to go down to one centre.
01:24Then later in the day, I got another call from another section of the Ministry.
01:27They told me, don't go in that health centre.
01:30Even the rabies vaccine wouldn't be there.
01:32It is another section, some part of the road, quite a bit older.
01:35When I reached up there, they told me they didn't have anything about that.
01:38Come back.
01:40This was the Friday before the holiday day, the Tuesday.
01:43Come back next week.
01:45Not have somebody running here, there and everywhere.
01:48After telling them that you are going to die within five days of this thing.
01:52Has bitten you.
01:53If you have a rabbit back, you'll die too.
01:56And that is what I was subjected to.
01:58He was not administered the first vaccine until six days after being bitten.
02:03But it's opened concern for a bigger issue.
02:07What happens if more and more human and dog cases arise?
02:11While TNT has had a few cluster outbreaks of rabies in livestock due to rabies carrying vampire bats over the years,
02:20most recently in 2022, there's only one human rabies outbreak on record in the 1930s,
02:27which triggered a national response for controlling the vampire bat population.
02:33The anti-rabies unit was then established.
02:36But one retired employee tells TV6 News, if there are human and dog-biting cases now,
02:42it suggests the vampire bat population is rising.
02:47On a percentage basis, it could be around 75 to 80 percent chances that you will get a rabies.
02:51A rabies outbreak this time, not incidence of rabies, but an outbreak this time again, as in the 30s.
02:57With decades serving in the unit, Mr. Abraham says intervention is highly recommended at this stage.
03:05With absurd rabies, you'll have to do roost checking, check all the roost in the vicinity of five miles of the incident of rabies.
03:18You're inspecting most of the animals in that area.
03:22You're vaccinating the animals that wasn't vaccinated under three years.
03:26And they'll do the night trapping to trap the bats.
03:30The vampire bat travels along roadways, rivers, streams.
03:36They will come over the sea.
03:39So there's a possibility that there's going to be an upsurge sooner or later,
03:44if we don't get rid of the vampire bats or control the population of the vampire bats.
03:50TV 6 News was told, night trapping is key.
03:54And it's currently not being done by the ministry, since employees are still owed money for a series of night trapping exercises done last year.
04:04We contacted the Minister of Agriculture, Ravi Rattaram, multiple times via phone calls and WhatsApp messages over the past week.
04:11While he acknowledged receipt of our questions, he has failed to say if the ministry is aware of these concerns
04:17and what, if any, measures are being taken by its anti-rabies unit to tackle the potential outbreak.
04:24According to the World Health Organization, globally, tens of thousands of human rabies deaths are recorded annually,
04:3199% of cases caused by rabid dogs.
04:35And once the virus infects the brain and symptoms appear, rabies is fatal in 100% of cases.
04:43But it is preventable through vaccination and bite prevention.
04:48Rabies attack the central nervous system of the animal.
04:51Human also debilitating the animal and eventual death.
04:57We have no cure for it as yet.
04:58What is of concern, though, is the human that's biting.
05:03Right?
05:03You will take that guy, you will come to the health center, he will get a vaccine.
05:08You came back 14 days, he got another one.
05:10You came 20 years, he got another one.
05:13But the incubation period of the rabies virus, anything like six months to two years.
05:22So he doesn't know how effective that vaccine is until.
05:25We contacted the Minister of Health, Dr. Lakram Bodo, who says his ministry has not received any reports of human cases of rabies at this time,
05:36nor has the veterinary public health department seen an increase in potential sources of rabies-infected animals,
05:44such as bats and unvaccinated dogs.
05:46He says the human rabies vaccines are available through the county medical offices of health at designated health centers and said there are two categories of vaccines.
05:59The post-exposure prophylaxis, administered to people who may have been bitten or scratched by an animal suspected of carrying rabies,
06:08and pre-exposure prophylaxis, which is recommended for higher-risk groups such as veterinary students,
06:17agricultural workers, staff attached to bat control units, people visiting forested areas,
06:23and travelers to countries that require proof of vaccination.
06:27Boosted doses are required for some groups every two years.
06:31The Ministry of Health reminds the public that rabies is a serious but preventable disease,
06:38and people who suspect exposure should seek medical attention immediately.
06:42He says the ministry will ensure vaccines remain available for those who need them.
06:49Cindy Raguba, Tika Singh, TV6 News.
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