Child Bitten by Pet Cat in Vietnam Dies from Rabies

Three-Year-Old Bitten by Pet Cat in Vietnam
Died After a Month of Rabies Suffering

A child in Vietnam died of rabies after being bitten by their own pet cat.

A cat is lost in thought. The photo is not directly related to the article content.
Photo by Moon Honam, Asia Economy

On the 17th (local time), local Vietnamese media such as VN Express reported, "On the 15th, in Gia Lai Province in central Vietnam, a three-year-old child died after being bitten on the hand by their own cat." The child bitten by the cat suffered from vomiting and other symptoms for a month, and the condition worsened, eventually leading to death. It was about one month after the cat bite.

The deceased child was reportedly not vaccinated against rabies. The parents did not proceed with additional vaccinations at the time of the initial bite because the wound was shallow.

The cat that bit the child disappeared from the house after biting the child's hand and has not been found.

Meanwhile, rabies is caused by a virus and is mainly transmitted by wild animals such as foxes, raccoons, and bats. Rabies is generally untreatable, and the fatality rate approaches 100%. When a person contracts rabies, early symptoms include fever, headache, lethargy, and vomiting, followed by various encephalitis symptoms such as extreme anxiety, aggression, mental confusion, hallucinations, and muscle spasms. In particular, most patients experience severe pain due to spasms of the swallowing muscles used for drinking water and swallowing food, causing a fear of water, which is why rabies is also called hydrophobia (恐水病).

If bitten by an animal, immediately disinfect the wound with antiseptic or wash thoroughly with soap and running water, and promptly visit a hospital for an accurate diagnosis. Additionally, regularly receiving rabies vaccinations reduces the risk of infection.