Rabies claims another one, dog-bite cases reach 263
Source: The Sangai Express / S Singlianmang Guite

Lamka, January 13 2015: A fifty year old man who was showing clinical signs of Rabies expired early today taking the official toll of dog-bite related death to 11 even as there is no let up in the number of new cases with the cumulative figure since October last year reaching 263 .

Thangkhanmang (50), a resident of Mata was brought to the district hospital yesterday and the hospital Superintendent Dr Arke had maintained that there was very minimal chances of his recovery in a press briefing held at the Deputy Commissioner's office yesterday.

With today's fatality, the official toll that stood at 10 till yesterday has surged to 11 as another case of dog-bite related death was added to the list as well.

Pic of a rabid dog and map of Churachandpur

The victim identified as Elviston (46) of Lanva expired sometime in November and the attending doctors had even made the family wrap the corpse with polythene sheet, and advised them to burn his clothing besides compulsory vaccination of all his relatives.

The dog-bite cumulative figure also reached 263 today as another case was reported today.

One and a half year old Thangchungnung of Hengjang village was reportedly bitten by a dog on January 1 .

An alarming figure on the official figure that was dispatched to the Principal Secretary (Health) was the large disparity in the number dog-bite cases as vaccine administered to patients till date stands only at 11 against the reported cases of 263 .

The medical officials had yesterday said most of the patients have procured the vaccine privately but it still is not known if all the remaining 252 patients certainly received the vaccine.

Another case of concern is the potency of the vaccine procured privately as it has been claimed that failure to maintain cold-chain will render the vaccine impotent.

It may be noted that the Medical Superintendent of district hospital Churachandpur had yesterday declared that the cases are clinically Rabies and would surely be positive if they are tested.

Nevertheless the Veterinary Department is still struggling to obtain the necessary sample (dog's brain) for confirmation as all the cases reported so far are done so after the dog concerned has been disposed off.

Official sources said to test for presence of Rabies, it will be necessary for dog-owners to chain the dog and put it under observation and see if it dies within a couple of weeks but people seem unaware or unwilling to wait for that and instead kill the dog immediately after it bites someone.