Stray dogs scare as 401 people mauled

Packs of stray dogs roaming in most communities have been blamed for many of the dog bites. 

ABOUT 401 dog bite cases have recorded across the country, but no deaths have been recorded so far, according to the Health and Child Care ministry disease surveillance report for the week ending July 23, 2023.

Packs of stray dogs roaming in most communities have been blamed for many of the dog bites. 

“[Some] 401 dog bite cases were recorded and no deaths were reported. Of these cases, 71 [17,7%] were bitten by vaccinated dogs, 65 [16,2%] by unvaccinated dogs and 265 (66,1%) by dogs of unknown status,” the report read.

“The highest number of dog bite cases reported were from Masvingo province [76] Manicaland [61] and Midlands province [59]. The cumulative figures for dog bites are 2 013 cases and one death.”

Meanwhile, the ministry also confirmed 197 dysentery cases, but no deaths were reported.

Mashonaland West (52) and Manicaland (34) were the provinces that reported the highest number of clinical dysentery cases.

According to the ministry, the cumulative figure for dysentery was 7 620 cases and two deaths.

“After several efforts to combat diarrhoea in the country, 7 100 common diarrhoea cases and four deaths were reported. The deaths were reported from Sally Mugabe Central Hospital (two) in Harare province and Hwange district (two) in Matabeleland North province,” the ministry said.

“Of the reported cases, 3 818 [53,7%] were from the under five years of age.”

Provinces with the highest number of cases were Manicaland (1 203) and Mashonaland West (1 134) and the cumulative figures for common diarrhoea were 186 358 cases and 107 deaths.

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