Woman undergoing treatment for dog bite dies; Tests on to rule out rabies

Kozhikode: Yet another person undergoing treatment after being bitten by a dog has died despite being administered anti-rabies vaccines.

The deceased has been identified as Chandrika, a native of Koothali. She was 53.

She was bitten by a stray dog near Perambra on July 21. Besides Chandrika, eight others were also bitten by the same dog.

It is unclear if rabies is the reason for death. Tests are on to find out, the District Medical Officer informed.

If it is indeed a case of rabies, then this would be the second such death in the state in the span of just two months.

In July, a 19-year-old girl – Sreelakshmi, hailing from Mangara in Palakkad – died due to rabies attack after she was bitten by a dog while going to college.

Sreelakshmi died despite being administered four rounds of vaccines. Health Minister Veena George had ordered a probe then.

Rampant stray dog menace

There is no end to the stray dog menace in Kerala. In Vaikom, as many as 10 people were bitten by a stray dog at Chembu panchayat on Saturday.

The dog was later run over by a vehicle when the locals tried to catch hold of it.

Those who came under attack are worried about whether the stray dog had rabies. The carcass of the dog was sent to the Virology Lab in Thiruvalla for testing.

On August 18, eight people were bitten by a stray dog in Thalayolaparambu near Vaikom.