Farmers across Southwestern Trinidad are fearful a rabies outbreak may be imminent, since some are reporting that bats are biting not just their livestock, but dogs and humans too.
While vaccination is available for suspected cases, rabies can be fatal if someone fails to identify a bat bite and vaccinate in time.
Our reporter Cindy Raghubar-Teekersingh has been speaking with affected farmers, one of whom was bitten recently; he’s calling for immediate intervention by the Ministry of Agriculture to eradicate the vampire bat population in the country.
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.
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