RANIPET: A 49-year-old man, V Ramesh, died of rabies at the Vellore Government Medical College and Hospital on Thursday night. Sources said he had not taken anti-rabies vaccine after being scratched by a stray dog about 40 days ago.
According to his family, Ramesh had ignored the injury, considering it minor. Forty days after the incident, he developed high fever and was taken to the Panapakkam public health centre.
He was later referred to the Vellore Government Medical College and Hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with rabies.
Ramesh’s condition deteriorated and he died on Thursday night. The body was buried following standard procedures, sources said.
Emphasising the importance of taking anti-rabies vaccine, a health official said, “Regardless of the severity of the attack, any scratch or bite from a stray animal necessitates immediate vaccination.”