Since 2018, the state of Durango has remained free of rabies cases in both humans and animals, according to Edgar Urbina Torres, head of the Zoonosis Program at the Ministry of Health.
According to the health expert, the last recorded case occurred when a patient was attacked by a fox; no cases related to this disease have been detected since then.
The official emphasized that, despite the absence of infections, prevention and epidemiological surveillance programs remain active. Among recent actions, he mentioned a sterilization campaign carried out in the municipalities of Guadalupe Victoria and Mezquital, where rabies control and vaccination activities were carried out in the community of Huazamota.
Urbina Torres stated that the health sector also monitors all attacks caused by animals, whether domestic or wild, and these are ultimately referred to Health Center Number 1 in the capital, where care and prevention protocols are applied to rule out risks and ensure patient protection.
Regarding the case reported in the municipality of Vicente Guerrero, she clarified that it was not necessary to implement a sanitary cordon, as it corresponded to an infection originating in the state of Zacatecas. She emphasized that all samples taken in Durango from potentially infected animals have tested negative, confirming the absence of the virus in the state.
The head of the Zoonosis Program insisted that prevention is the most effective tool for maintaining control of this disease. Therefore, he recommended that the population vaccinate their pets and avoid contact with wild animals. If they are attacked by one, they should immediately seek medical attention if they are bitten or scratched.
It should be noted that Durango is one of the states in the country that maintains rabies-free status, thanks to ongoing vaccination campaigns, epidemiological surveillance, and health education programs. The goal, Urbina stated, is to maintain this control at all times and prevent outbreaks that could put the population at risk.
It is worth noting that, according to information provided by sources from the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), the death of a 17-year-old girl diagnosed with rabies in the state of Zacatecas was confirmed on Sunday night.
The death from rabies occurred last Sunday, August 24th, at 7:30 p.m., two months after the patient was attacked by a skunk that transmitted the rabies virus. This is the first case of human rabies in Zacatecas since 1987 and the only one nationwide so far this year.
Source: oem
