CHENNAI: A 13-year-old boy, who was treated by a traditional healer after being bitten by a stray dog four months ago, died of rabies in Kancheepuram last Thursday. The boy had not received even a single dose of the anti-rabies vaccine, health officials said, attributing the death to lack of awareness.
The deceased, B Sabarivasan, a resident of Chinnivakkam village in Kundrathur taluk, was a student of a local government school. He was living with his grandmother and sister.
According to sources, the incident happened on September 13 last year when a rabies-infected stray dog bit him on his left hand and right leg while he was playing outside his house with friends. As his father was away at work at the time, the boy’s grandmother allegedly took him to a traditional healer instead of a health facility. Local sources said the healer cleaned the wounds and applied an onion poultice, but no medical treatment or vaccination was administered.
On Tuesday last week, the boy developed a high fever and found it difficult to swallow food and water. He also complained of severe body stiffness. He was initially taken to the Kancheepuram Government Hospital, where doctors confirmed rabies. He was referred to the Chengalpattu Government Hospital and later to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai, where he died on Thursday.
Kancheepuram Deputy Director of Health Department T R Senthil described the incident as a rare and preventable case. “Rabies is entirely preventable if treatment is initiated on time. There are 29 PHCs in Kancheepuram district, all equipped to treat dog-bite cases. We handle around 1,000 to 1,500 such cases every month,” he told TNIE.
He added that the health department would inspect the traditional healer’s facility involved in the case and step up awareness campaigns to educate people on the need to seek immediate medical attention in case of animal bites. Officials also confirmed that nine individuals who were in close contact with the boy were administered anti-rabies vaccination as soon as the case of the boy being affected by rabies was reported, and that health checks were conducted among his schoolmates.
Meanwhile, K Shankar (52), a resident of Chinnivakkam, said his 18-year-old son, who was also bitten by the same dog, had completed the full course of anti-rabies vaccination at a local PHC. He alleged that Poomagal Street, where they live, has a large population of unvaccinated stray dogs and called for urgent action.
Villagers said the rabies-infected dog was killed immediately after it attacked several people. According to local residents, at least five others were bitten by the same dog.