Feral stray dog tests rabies +ve, 29 victims under monitoring

CHENNAI: The stray dog that was beaten to death after it bit 29 persons in Old Washermenpet in north Chennai on Tuesday has tested positive for rabies. The confirmation of the fatal zoonotic infection on Friday has given jitters to the residents as well as the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) officials, who have intensified surveillance among the affected and efforts to catch stray canines in the area.

According to the GCC officials, all 29 mauled by the deceased rabid dog are under surveillance. The state public health department would provide five doses of rabies vaccination for the victims and each one of them will be monitored.

The Corporation’s dog catcher squad also has got into act and 31 stray dogs have already been caught in Old Washermenpet and Royapuram areas over the last two days. These dogs are closely being monitored by a medical team for behavioural changes, officials said.

Tamil Nadu is one of the rabies prevalent State with 20 people dying of rabies this year alone till October. Data from the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) also reveals 28 rabies-related deaths last year while another 19 cases were confirmed in 2019.

“Dogs which show rabies symptoms will be culled. We are monitoring those bitten by the infected dog and have urged all the affected to take the prescribed doses of anti-rabies vaccine,” Dr J Kamal Hussain, veterinary officer, Greater Chennai Corporation told DT Next.

Experts advised people to get anti-rabies vaccination within 12 hours of a dog bite to avoid the virus entering the body. If the person failed to get vaccinated they would die within a month.

“The rabies-infected dogs would be active and keep running...and even go to other areas. When they end up fighting with other stray dogs they transmit rabies, which is a deadly disease among the canines. The civic body should isolate the rabies-infected stray dogs for 10 days so as to contain the spread,” said Dr R Sokkalingam, a veterinarian.