Bit by a Stray Dog, Kerala Girl Dies of Rabies Despite Being Vaccinated

Abhirami, hailing from Pathanamthitta, is the 21st person this year to die of rabies in Kerala.

Girl dies of dog bite after rabies vaccine fails.

(Photo: iStock)

• A 12-year-old girl named Abhirami from Pathanamthitta in Kerala was bitten by a stray dog on 13 August.

• She was rushed to the hospital and given the first shot of anti-rabies injection.

• She was reportedly given two more shots as per the dosage at Perunad family health centre.

• She contracted rabies and her condition deteriorated.

• She was admitted to Government Medical College Hospital, Kottayam, and put on ventilator support.

• On Monday, 5 September, she passed away.

A 12-year-old girl in Kerala's pathanamthitta district died of complications from rabies on Monday, 5 September, after battling with the disease for close to a month.

The girl, Abhirami, had received three shots of anti-rabies vaccination and was due for her fourth shot on 10 September, reported Indian Express.

The girl's death has raised question about the quality and efficacy of the rabies vaccine she was administered.

This is the 21st death this year in Kerala due to rabies, and four of them were vaccinated, like Abhirami.

Quality Checks on Anti-Rabies Vaccines in Kerala

On Monday, Opposition Leader V D Satheesan accused the government of indifference saying they had raised the issue in the assembly, but, "the health minister tried to trivialise it."

"The government has miserably failed to implement the animal birth control programme."

V D Satheesan, Leader, Indian National Congress as Quoted by Indian Express

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has announced that an expert committee will be set up to study the quality of anti-rabies vaccines being used in Kerala.

(Written with inputs from Indian Express.)