Eight People, Including Six Children, Bitten by Stray Dogs in Myanmar’s Mon State

Eight people, including six children, have been bitten by dogs in Thaton Township, Mon State, within a span of just over a week, highlighting a growing public health concern as stray dog populations rise, according to residents and health officials.

The most recent incident occurred around 4:00 PM on October 11 in Naungbo Village, where a stray dog attacked a four-year-old child and a 53-year-old woman.

The same dog then ran off and bit a woman in her 50s and a three-and-a-half-year-old child, who sustained severe injuries.

All four victims were rushed to Thaton District Public Hospital for emergency medical treatment.

This follows an earlier incident on the evening of October 3 in Kamarsaing Village, Donwun Village Tract, where a dog bit four children: three-and-a-half-year-old Ma Sa Nay Ma, five-year-old Maung Kyaw Htoo, six-year-old Maung Wai Phyo Aung, and seven-year-old Naw Phaw Gay. All four were hospitalized, with one child suffering serious injuries.

Residents report that dog bite incidents have become increasingly common across Thaton Township, with young children frequently targeted.

The surge in attacks aligns with an alarming rise in rabies fatalities across Mon State. According to data from the Mon State Public Health Department, nine people died from rabies following dog bites between January and June 2026 alone, including two deaths recorded in Thaton Township.