THOOTHUKUDI: Following the death of a 16-year-old girl allegedly due to rabies on March 30, and increasing stray dog attacks, the district administration has intensified drives to catch stray dogs. Many people, including pet owners, who had suffered bites and scratches days ago, approached government hospitals for getting anti-rabies shots.
A girl belonging to Puthiyamputhur in Thoothukudi was bitten by a pet dog over two months ago. Sources said after the attack, she did not visit a hospital to get anti-rabies vaccination. It was only after her health deteriorated when she was admitted to a private hospital in Thoothukudi on March 28, where doctors confirmed she had developed rabies symptoms.
She was later referred to Madurai Rajaji government medical college hospital, where she died without responding to treatment on March 30. A government doctor from Ottapidaram, on terms of anonymity, told TNIE the victim did not complete the dose of Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) after the incident.
According to doctors in the district, following the death of the girl, many pet owners who had sustained bites and nail scratches from their own pet dogs and cats days ago rushed to nearby hospitals, primary health centres (PHC) and government hospitals for anti-rabies vaccinations.
A Thoothukudi corporation official said that they are conducting dog catching drives regularly. As of March, as many as 98 stray dogs were captured in seven drives, and the animals were released at the same place after Animal Birth Control and Anti-Rabies Vaccine.
Meanwhile, a health department officer said the doses after the first against dog bites and scratches must be administered at intervals of the third, seventh, and 28th day for effective results.