PATTAYA, Thailand – Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) has confirmed the country’s first rabies-related death of 2026, reported in Rayong province, and is urging the public to seek immediate medical care after any animal bite or scratch, Feb 13.
DDC Director-General Dr. Montien Kanasawad said the victim was a 36-year-old Myanmar national who began showing symptoms on Jan 23, including chest tightness, breathing difficulty, and dizziness after drinking water, and later died on Jan 25.
Disease investigations found that the man had been bitten on the right palm by a puppy of unknown ownership in December 2025. He did not wash the wound or seek medical attention for rabies vaccination. The puppy later disappeared, making follow-up and observation impossible. The patient developed symptoms weeks later and died.
Dr. Montien warned that rabies remains a serious public health concern, particularly in eastern, northeastern, and southern Thailand. In 2025, Thailand recorded seven rabies deaths in Chonburi, Tak, Sisaket, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chachoengsao, and Rayong. All cases involved people who did not seek medical care after being bitten or scratched, and more than half were infected by owned dogs.
Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease transmitted through the saliva of infected mammals via bites, scratches, or licking of open wounds. The incubation period varies, commonly two weeks to two months, but can extend up to one year, depending on the wound location and viral exposure.
Health officials emphasized that once symptoms appear—such as fever, headache, severe itching at the wound site, agitation, fear of light or wind, and difficulty swallowing—the disease cannot be cured and is fatal in all cases.
The DDC reiterated its immediate-response guidance for anyone exposed to animal saliva: wash the wound thoroughly, apply antiseptic, confine the animal if possible, seek medical care, and complete the full vaccination course.
Deputy Director-General Dr. Direk Khampaen added that pet owners must act responsibly by vaccinating dogs and cats for the first time at 2–4 months of age, followed by annual booster shots. Pets should not be allowed to roam freely, and animals showing unusual behavior, aggression, or lethargy should be reported to livestock authorities immediately.
To reduce the risk of dog bites, the DDC also advised the public to follow five key precautions:
- Do not provoke dogs.
- Do not step on a dog’s body parts or startle it.
- Do not separate fighting dogs with bare hands.
- Do not take food from a dog while it is eating.
- Do not approach stray animals or those with unknown histories.
For further information, the public can contact nearby medical facilities or the DDC hotline at 1422.
