Thiruvananthapuram: Even with Kerala's stray dog menace making headlines in major newspapers across the state for the past many days, it seems little has been done to curb the problem.
On Wednesday, twenty-six people were bitten by stray dogs across the state. Of them, several are children.
Eight people, including a child, were bitten by stray dogs at Kattakkada in the state capital.
The injured sought treatment at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College hospital.
Six, including a Plus One student, suffered dog bites at Idukki's Rajakkad and Upputhara panchayats.
In Kottayam, stray dogs barged into the compounds of five houses at night in Kottayam's Ettumanoor and bit six people.
In Ernakulam, SI Ratheesh Babu of Alangad police station in Paravur was bitten by his pet dog while on duty.
Another person doing his rounds delivering newspapers in Chittoor was also bitten by a dog.
In Thrissur, an auto driver and an Uttar Pradesh native was attacked by stray dogs. Meanwhile, in Malappuram, two persons suffered dog bites.
The incidents, which come on the eve of Onam, have once again pulled the veil on the mismanagement plaguing local self-government bodies.
Local self-government bodies are entrusted with the culling of stray dogs in their respective areas.
Stray dog menace claims 7 lives in 4 months
The stray dog menace has worsened in Kerala leading to seven deaths in four months from May 2022.
The deceased - all between the ages of 12 and 65 - are 12-year-old Abhirami, Mohammad Razan (12) from Malappuram's Chelembra, Omana (65) from Murikkasseri in Idukki, Sreelakshmi (19) from Palakkad, Kamalakshi (59) from Palakkad's Kumaranalloor and Perambra native Chandrika (53). They died of rabies infection.
Thrissur native Thaivalappil Sheela (52) died of a heart attack on the fourth day after a dog bite.
Of the seven deceased, all except Omana had taken rabies vaccinations.
Omana informed the hospital about the dog bite weeks after the incident as she developed an inflammation on her leg.
Though she was given a vaccine then and sent home, she died later on.
Dogs infected by rabies double in 5 years
The number of dogs infected with the deadly rabies virus has almost doubled in the last five years, test reports of the Kerala Animal Husbandry department have revealed.
Out of the 300 samples collected from pet dogs and dead ones, as many as 168 cases turned positive for the disease.
In 2016, this was 48 against 150 samples collected.
The cases of the virus in other animals, including cats, also doubled during the last five years.
A chief reason for the substantial rise in rabies cases is the stoppage of vaccinations, which were used to be provided with sterilization activities.
The shocking fact came to light when an inquiry was made into the reasons for the death of 20 persons due to rabies.
The immunity against canine rabies could be possible only if the dogs are vaccinated and the booster doses given at regular intervals.
The negligence in timely rabies vaccination has resulted in the spread of diseases among pet animals.
