The Peruvian Ministry of Health estimates that there are about six million stray dogs in the country, including four million in Lima.Tonatiuh Cruz (Cuartoscuro)
On July 15, a stray dog entered the home of a 54-year-old woman in the Chiguata neighborhood, half an hour from Arequipa’s historic center, and bit two fingers on her left hand. The lady shooed the dog away and treated its wounds as best she could, but did not pay much attention to the matter. On October 12, three months after the incident, the woman went to an emergency hospital after feeling her hands go numb, suffering cramps when she tried to drink water and being afraid of drafts had. But it was too late. He was diagnosed with advanced stage human rabies at the Honorio Delgado Espinoza Regional Hospital; the virus had already spread to several vital organs. He was admitted to the intensive care unit on Monday, but his health had already deteriorated significantly and he died in the early hours of this Wednesday.
The last case of a person contracting rabies after being attacked by an animal on a road in Peru occurred in 2015 in the Puno region. According to the Health Ministry’s National Center for Epidemiology, Prevention and Disease Control, this is the 11th Peruvian case in an urban area in 23 years. “Rabies is a disease that causes very serious damage to the central nervous system and, once spread, causes a very large inflammation of the brain, which leads to the death of the person.” She died from breathing difficulties as a result of this inflammation, which was complicated by the failure of other organs,” explained Walther Oporto, regional health manager of Arequipa.
Although human rabies in the Andean country is light years away from India, where about 20,000 residents die every year, the death of this woman raises a very serious public health problem: the number of stray dogs and the lack of control exercised over them . Ricardo Peña Sánchez, Deputy Minister of Public Health, has reported that there are six million stray dogs in Peru, four million of which are scattered in Lima. There are an estimated 14,000 in Arequipa. The problem has become uncontrollable and is a prerequisite for the spread of rabies cases.
The alarm bells are ringing in the capital for now. After offering condolences to the woman’s family, Health Minister César Vásquez announced that a case of human rabies had been confirmed in Lima. “We have taken notice and are taking action. The protocol was started with this person. The washing of the wound, the appropriate vaccination, the identification of the biting dog, which must be isolated and under observation. I am sure there will be no unfortunate result here in Lima,” said Vásquez.
Doctor Elmer Huerta, one of the specialists who has worked most on the overpopulation of stray dogs, said: “How long will our society continue to allow so many abandoned dogs? “There is the origin of rabies (…) And no, there can be no shelter for six million dogs.” The discussion has been going on for decades and some time ago it seemed to be bearing fruit. However, no real change has occurred yet. In mid-2021, a law called “Four Legs” for the sterilization of dogs and cats was passed with the aim of reducing the population of these pets and thus reducing health risks. However, the regulation was still approved last August and is in the phase of approving surgical protocols, according to the Ministry of Health.
In Arequipa alone, 26 cases of rabies in dogs were recorded in 2023 and, according to the regional health management of this region, the last vaccination campaign covered only 50% of the planned dogs. The disinterest and carelessness of the population is one of the aspects that exacerbate the context of a deadly disease. “There is no proven case of human-to-human transmission of rabies. “Rabies is a disease caused by a virus found in wild or stray animals,” noted Elmer Huerta on RPP Noticias. The Health Ministry said those who had contact with the deceased woman in Arequipa received medical attention and vaccinations as a precautionary measure. They are still waiting to find the dog.