World Rabies Day: Negligence behind rabies deaths, say health experts

CHENNAI: Despite being the first state in India to develop a statewide rabies control programme and launching free vaccination against rabies, Tamil Nadu witnesses more than 30 deaths, especially in rural areas.

On World Rabies Day, health experts say that lack of awareness and negligence among people remains a major cause of deaths due to rabies.

“Rabies accounts for around 20,000 human deaths in India each year, with a large portion of fatalities due to lack of awareness about the treatment. Even educated people neglect the need for vaccination of dogs ignoring the fact that scratches, bites and infected animal licking an open cut can also result in rabies.

As incubation can be from a few days to months, negligence in treatment can be “In spite of an increased level of vaccine availability and vaccination of pet animals, a large number of stray animals cannot be vaccinated. A large number of stray dogs and other rabies causing animals carry the infection and a large-scale immunisation programme can help to eradicate the disease,” added Dr Prem.

Symptoms of rabies include fever with pain and pricking, or burning sensation at wound, headache and nausea. Doctors say that mass vaccination of dogs and immediate consultation in case of bites and wounds by animals can help to avoid fatalities due to rabies.

Though the scenario of the number of fatal cases in Tamil Nadu has declined currently, it still remains a deadly disease.