Ahmedabad Records Over 77,000 Dog-Bite Cases In A Year, Raises Rabies Concerns
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Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Ahmedabad recorded 77,019 dog-bite cases in a year, averaging 211 cases a day and marking a 29% rise from the previous year, raising rabies concern in the city.
Dog-Bite Cases Rise Despite Sterilisation Efforts
Around 60,000 dog-bite cases were reported in Ahmedabad last year. The increase to 77,019 cases this year comes despite civic efforts to control the stray-dog population.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has spent around ₹10 crore on sterilisation of 1.35 lakh dogs over the past five years. However, the continued rise in bite cases remains a concern.
Ahmedabad Reports 46,873 Dog-Bite Cases In Six Months
Month | Dog-Bite Cases |
|---|---|
January | 8,658 |
February | 7,993 |
March | 8,186 |
April | 7,830 |
May | 7,388 |
June | 6,818 |
Rabies Deaths May Be Under-Reported
World Rabies Day is observed on September 28 every year to raise awareness about the disease and the need for timely treatment.
According to a 2024 report of the National Institute of Epidemiology under the ICMR, around 5,726 people die from rabies in India every year. In contrast, Central Government data recorded 54 rabies deaths across the country in 2024.
Experts have attributed the large gap between the estimates and officially reported deaths to under-reporting. The World Health Organization has also indicated that the actual burden of rabies may be higher than officially recorded figures.
Ahmedabad Animal-Bite Cases
Year | Dog | Cat | Monkey |
|---|---|---|---|
2020 | 51,244 | 663 | 227 |
2021 | 50,666 | 683 | 256 |
2022 | 58,125 | 818 | 243 |
2023 | 69,790 | 1,628 | 00 |
2024 | 60,663 | 2,286 | 366 |
2025 | 99,018 | 4,900 | 593 |
Do Not Wait For Rabies Symptoms
People exposed to a bite, scratch or saliva from a potentially rabid dog, cat, monkey or another mammal should seek medical attention immediately rather than waiting for symptoms.
The wound should be washed thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes. Rabies vaccination should then be taken as advised by a healthcare professional.
Early Symptoms Of Rabies
Initial symptoms can include fever, headache, fatigue, weakness, nervousness, anxiety, irritability, difficulty sleeping and loss of appetite.
Pain, itching, burning or a tingling sensation at the site of the injury can also occur.
Severe Symptoms
As the disease progresses, a person may develop difficulty drinking water, fear of water, throat tightness or pain triggered by air, difficulty swallowing and excessive salivation.
Other severe symptoms can include sensitivity to sound or light, restlessness, confusion, hallucinations, aggression or unusual behaviour. Weakness or paralysis may affect parts of the body.
In advanced stages, rabies can cause difficulty breathing and coma. Once clinical symptoms appear, the disease is almost invariably fatal, making prompt post-exposure treatment essential.
