India, Sept. 23 -- The Department of Health (DOH) 13 (Caraga) reported on Tuesday a sharp rise in animal bite cases during the first half of 2025, prompting renewed calls for immediate medical intervention to prevent rabies infections.

From January to June, DOH-13 recorded 46,831 cases of animal bites, a significant increase from the 31,976 cases reported during the same period last year. The data reflects a jump of 14,855 cases.

The bite cases, mostly from dogs and cats, have raised concerns among health officials, who urged the public to seek quick treatment.

In a press conference on Monday, Niel Nituda, Entomologist III at DOH-13, emphasized the importance of post-exposure prophylaxis, commonly known as anti-rabies vaccination.

"Th...