SRINAGAR: A substantial 4,396 bite cases, primarily resulting from dog encounters, have been reported at the Anti-Rabies Clinic of Srinagar’s Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital in the past six months, officials said.
The prevalence of dogs throughout the valley has led to human-dog confrontations, causing a surge in dog bite incidents in the region.
An official from the Anti-Rabies Clinic SMHS informed the news agency KNO that between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023, a total of 6,875 bite cases were reported, with the majority originating in Srinagar.
He further stated that 4,396 fresh cases were recorded from April 1 to September 27 this year, potentially reaching the 10,000 mark by March 2024 if the trend persists.
Providing annual data on bite cases, the official reported that from April 2015 to March 2016, 7,061 cases were reported at ARC SMHS, followed by 5,832 cases from April 2016 to March 2017, 6,802 from April 2017 to March 2018, 6,397 from April 2018 to March 2019, 6139 from April 2019 to March 2020, 4,808 from April 2020 to March 2021, 5,469 from April 2021 to March 2022, 6,875 from April 2022 to March 2023, and 4,396 cases to date.
He added that approximately 54,000 cases have been registered at the Anti-Rabies Clinic from April 2015 to September 27, 2023.
In Kashmir, dog bites pose a significant public health concern, with thousands falling victim to animal bites, particularly from dogs, and some developing rabies.
Rabies is a uniformly fatal viral disease, resulting in approximately 59,000 human deaths annually worldwide, with 95 percent of cases occurring in Africa and Asia.
The sole means of averting a rabies fatality is through the vaccination of individuals bitten by animals. In Kashmir, the burden and characteristics of dog bites are not systematically documented by the existing healthcare system.
World Rabies Day, observed on September 28, serves to raise awareness about rabies prevention and acknowledge advancements in combating this dreadful disease. The day also commemorates the death anniversary of Louis Pasteur, the French chemist and microbiologist who pioneered the first rabies vaccine.
Today, safe and effective vaccines for animals and humans are pivotal tools in eradicating rabies-related human fatalities, while heightened awareness plays a pivotal role in fostering community engagement in successful rabies prevention. (KNO)
