A four-year-old boy in General Santos City died more than a month after he was allegedly bitten by a stray dog believed to have rabies.
The boy died in Barangay Sinawal on Friday, August 7, 2026, more than a month after he was attacked by the dog on July 9.
According to the family, the boy was with his mother, who was buying food when the incident happened.
The boy sustained bite wounds in his face and ears.
The boy was rushed to a hospital. His wounds were cleaned and sutured, and he was given an anti-tetanus vaccine.
The next day, he was given his first dose of the anti-rabies vaccine.
After receiving his third dose, the boy reportedly began showing symptoms of infection from rabies.
The boy’s mother, Marlyn Casocot, shared:
“July 17 ang iyang last nga inject… ako pud, abi ko nga okay na ang akong anak kay lagsik kaayo, walay hilanat, walay gibati pero kato’ng August 6 sa udto, mga alas dose, nagreklamo man siya sakit ang iyang tiyan, abi nako normal lang nga sakit. Gipainom pa nako tambal… pagkagabii ana, alas sais, okay pa siya, muinom pa siya og tubig, inom pa siya tambal, pero alas diyes sa gabii, mahadlok siya og tubig ba, mura siya’g malumos… mao tong pagkabuntag, gidagan namo sa emergency, gipa-admit namo, unya pagka kwan ana, mahadlok siya og hangin, mura siya’g malumos, mao tong gi-dextrosan siya, gibutang sa isolation room.”
However, the boy died the following day. He was buried immediately as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the disease.
VACCINE
His family could not help but wonder why he passed away despite receiving anti-rabies vaccines.
“Nganong nahulog man og rabies ang akong anak nga kumpleto man siya sa anti-rabies nga inject ba…? Mao tung katingalahan gyud nako,” Casocot said.
According to the hospital where the child was admitted, four doses are usually administered but the child was no longer able to receive the final dose. The child also sustained a bite wound near the head.
”Unfortunately, umabot siya ng third dose pero hindi na siya umabot ng fourth dose. We categorize yung mga sugat or kagat ng aso… sa pasyente, Category 3… masyado nang malapit sa ulo. Meron tayong ibinibigay na immunuglobilin, which is active yung ibinigay na bakuna,” Dr. Jeorge P. Royeca City Hospital Chief, Dr. Ryan Oscar Aplicador, said.
The boy’s father, Julito Incio, also questioned the alleged delay in administering the vaccine.
“Ngano pa mang ila pang gipa-delay ang pag-inject sa bata nga pinaakan man unta sa iro? Emergency gayod to, balaha’g maulahi na lang tong anti-tetanus, ma-inject lang unta… sakit mawad-an og anak,” he said.
The hospital said the boy was treated in the emergency room evening on July 9 and was advised to return the following morning for vaccination.
“Dumating siya July 9 ng gabi and napauwi at the same night. Ibig sabihin, meron kaming ginagawa sa emergency room na dapat naasikaso yung mga pasyente within 4 to 6 hours. ‘Yung pasyente, by record, nalinis yung sugat, natahi yung sugat, nabigyan ng siya ng anti-biotic, nabigyan siya ng anti-tetanus, and napauwi natin siya on the same night and to come back for the vaccination in the morning. Technically, nabigay namin ang bakuna within the day na,” Aplicador said.
The hospital also denied that the vaccine administered was expired.
“We remain with the advice na kapag nakagat kayo ng aso or pusa, na-scratch kayo ng aso o pusa, you really have to do consultation. Kina-categorize ang ating patients kung 1, 2 and 3, kung kinakailangan pa ba kayong mabakunahan o hindi,” Aplicador added.
Following the incident, the City Veterinary Office started searching for the stray dog who bit the child. It has also vaccinated dogs in the barangay.
