Girl contracts rabies despite vaccination, critical in hospital

Thiruvananthapuram | A seven-year-old girl who was mauled by a stray dog weeks ago has developed rabies symptoms despite receiving vaccination, her family said on Saturday.

As her condition worsened, the girl was shifted to the Sree Avittom Thirunal (SAT) Hospital here, where she is currently on ventilator support, they said.

A native of Kunnicode in the neighbouring Kollam district of Kerala, the girl was bitten on her elbow on April 8, her mother told the media.

The incident comes just days after a six-year-old girl in Malappuram district died of rabies despite having received vaccination.

“Soon after she was bitten, we thoroughly washed her wounds and took her to the nearby family health centre, where she was administered an anti-rabies vaccine,” the mother said.

She added that her daughter was then taken to the Punalur Taluk Hospital, where she received additional medications and vaccine doses.

However, a few days ago, the girl suddenly developed severe pain at the wound site and came down with a fever, prompting her parents to rush her back to the hospital.

Subsequent tests confirmed that she had contracted rabies, her mother said, quoting doctors.

SAT Hospital authorities also confirmed that the girl had received all the recommended vaccine doses.

Her condition remains critical, and she continues to be on ventilator support, they added.