Jeck Batallones

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1713962902988042424_Jamaica Star Seraspe.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A portrait of Jamaica Star Seraspe is held by her mother. ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A portrait of Jamaica Star Seraspe is held by her mother. <em>ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- A teenager who hid the fact that she had been bitten by a dog from her parents tragically passed away from rabies two months later. </p><p>Jamaica Star Seraspe, according to her parents, explained that she concealed the incident out of fear of getting scolded. The girl was walking home from school in Tondo District, Manila, when a stray dog bit her on February 10. </p><p>Instead of immediately seeking medical help, Jamaica kept the incident secret from her parents. It wasn&#x27;t until two months later, when she started experiencing severe symptoms like fever, back pain, fatigue, and difficulty drinking water, that she confessed to her mother, Roselyn Saraspe, about the dog bite. </p><div><a class="fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/5/rabies-claims-89-lives-since-january-doh-937" id="isPasted"><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(29, 29, 29);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Rabies claims 89 lives since January - DOH</span></a></div><p>She recalled: “May hawak siya baso. Sabi nya, &#x27;Mama, mama.&#x27; Umiiyak na siya. &#x27;Mama, &#x27;di ako makainom ng tubig.&#x27; Sabi ko, &#x27;Bakit &#x27;di ka makainom ng tubig?&#x27; Sabi niya, &#x27;Mama, baka may rabies na ako,&#x27; sabi n&#x27;ya, ganun. &#x27;Nakagat ka ba [ng] aso?&#x27; &#x27;Oo, mama nakagat ako&#x27;.” </p><p>(She was holding a glass, and she said, ‘Mom, mom, I’m crying, mom, I can’t drink water.’ I asked her why she couldn’t drink water, and she said, ‘Mom, maybe I have rabies.’ I asked her, ‘Did a dog bite you?’ She replied, ‘Yes, mom, a dog bit me.’) </p><p>Jamaica was admitted to San Lazaro Hospital on April 5, where she had to be restrained due to restlessness. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, and she passed away on April 6. Roselyn expressed deep sorrow, mentioning that Jamaica had known she might have rabies but didn&#x27;t want to worry her mother. </p><p>&quot;Sabi ng doctor, kinausap nga nila ako. Sabi, &#x27;Pasensya na, nasa utak na niya ang virus. Last stage yung sintomas na hydrophobia.&#x27; Sabi ko, ilang oras ilang araw? Sabi niya, 24 hours,&quot; Roselyn said. </p><p>(The doctor told me that they spoke to me and said sorry, that the virus is already in her brain. The symptoms of hydrophobia, they said, how many hours, how many days. They said 24 hours.)</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/09/28/23/rabies-is-not-inborn-experts">Rabies is not inborn: experts</a></div><p>Reflecting on her daughter&#x27;s messages before her death, Roselyn shared Jamaica&#x27;s heartbreaking realization that she likely had rabies and her deep regret for not speaking up sooner. The messages also revealed Jamaica&#x27;s suffering and fear as she researched rabies symptoms and experienced the agony of hydrophobia, expressing love for her family in a final goodbye. </p><p>According to the Officer in charge of Manila City Veterinary Office, Dr. Nick Santos, there were nine other people who were bitten by the same dog in Tondo. Eight of them survived and only Jamaica died. He said the teenager would have survived if she had been honest about what happened. </p><p>&quot;Yun ang nakakalungkot eh, dahil namatay [ang] bata na kung nagsabi lang siya, naagapan sana,&quot; he said. </p><p>(That’s what’s sad, because the child died. If only she had told us, she could have been saved.) </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/25/24/rabies-cases-increase-dengue-cases-down-doh">Rabies cases increase, dengue cases down - DOH</a></div><p>Meanwhile, according to the Department of Health, from January to March 16 this year, there were a total of 89 rabies cases which resulted in deaths. </p><p>But the government assures the public that they have enough anti-rabies vaccines.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_j2pq9k9K-g?&amp;ab_channel=ABS-CBNNews&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div>

<p>A teenager who hid the fact that she had been bitten by a dog from her parents tragically passed away from rabies two months later. </p>

A teenager who hid the fact that she had been bitten by a dog from her parents tragically passed away from rabies two months later.

2 months after being bitten by a dog, teenager dies from rabies | ABS-CBN

Halalan 2025

Entertainment

News

Metro.Style

Sports

More

News

2 months after being bitten by a dog, teenager dies from rabies

2 months after being bitten by a dog, teenager dies from rabies

Jeck Batallones,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 24, 2024 08:57 PM PHT

Read More:

Rabies

Dog

Teenager

News

ANC Promo

Jamaica Star Seraspe

Tondo

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Advertise with Us

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.