Banaskantha rabies patient seen crawling on all fours, spreads panic

A suspected case of rabies has been reported from Nalasar village in Gujarat’s Banaskantha district, where a young man was hospitalised after developing severe symptoms nearly three months after a dog bite.

According to local officials, the man, who works as a farm labourer in the village, was bitten by a dog believed to be rabid around three months ago. At the time, he did not seek medical attention or receive the recommended anti-rabies vaccination. Health officials said the failure to take timely preventive treatment may have allowed the virus to spread in his body.

Villagers said the man recently began displaying unusual and aggressive behaviour, which caused panic in the area. As his condition worsened, residents restrained him to prevent harm to himself or others before alerting authorities.

He was subsequently shifted to the Civil Hospital in Palanpur, where he is being treated in isolation. Hospital sources said the patient is under close medical supervision and has been restrained as a precautionary measure to ensure safety. Doctors said further details about his condition would depend on clinical assessment and test results.

Earlier on January 18, a woman in Gandhinagar, the daughter of a retired IAS officer, died after contracting rabies months after being bitten by a dog. Reports said she had been bitten while playing with a pet dog but did not seek treatment as the injury appeared minor. She later developed symptoms and died after undergoing treatment for over two weeks.

In another incident, a man in Morbi was hospitalised after being bitten by a suspected rabid dog at a motel. The 35-year-old reportedly developed symptoms days after the incident and was admitted for treatment after the dog allegedly bit two people.

Authorities have urged people to seek immediate medical care after any dog bite, regardless of how minor the injury may seem.