Chetana Mahantesh, who was bitten by a dog in Chitradurga and later admitted to NIMHANS in a state of coma on July 22, died at 11.55 pm on Tuesday. Doctors ruled out any medical negligence, as her relatives had alleged, and confirmed it as a case of rabies, which had reached her central nervous system.
The 21-year-old was bitten by a dog near her house around May, following which she had taken Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV). However, after about two months, she developed fever and insomnia and was admitted to the Krishna Nursing Home in Chitradurga. Once her condition started worsening she was shifted to Kasturba Medical College in Manipal.
Medical Superintendent, NIMHANS, Dr V L Sateesh said Chetana was unconcious and almost coma when she was brought to NIMHANS. The tests conducted by the virologist and neurologists confirmed that rabies had infected her central nervous system. For the past two days Chetana’s heart rate and blood pressure was going down and on Tuesday, she died. Chetana’s relatives blamed the doctors at Krishna Nursing Home for medical negligence.