Karachi: Sindh’s reported rabies death toll has reached 38 this year after a 38-year-old man died at Indus Hospital, while a 12-year-old boy from Hyderabad was admitted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre with suspected rabies.
The deceased, Naimatullah, belonged to Nohriyo area in Tharparkar district’s Diplo taluka, an Indus Hospital spokesperson said. He had been bitten by a dog about two and a half months earlier and received four doses of anti-rabies vaccine at the Taluka Headquarters Hospital in Diplo between July 25 and August 8.
He was admitted to Indus Hospital Karachi on October 7 after developing symptoms of rabies but could not survive, the spokesperson said. Hospital officials pointed to inadequate cleaning of his wounds during initial treatment, although the details provided did not establish why he developed rabies despite his vaccination history. (ummat.net)
The latest death raised the number of rabies fatalities reported at Indus Hospital Karachi this year to 29. One death at Indus Hospital Badin and eight at JPMC brought the reported provincial toll to 38. (express.pk)
At JPMC, hospital officials said the 12-year-old boy from Hyderabad had been bitten on his hand and chest about two months earlier. He had not received anti-rabies vaccination after the incident, they said.
The boy was brought to the hospital after developing hydrophobia, or fear of water, agitation and seizures, prompting doctors to call the neuromedicine team. Following examination, doctors suspected rabies encephalitis and admitted him for further care.
Hospital officials said the boy received his first anti-rabies vaccine dose in the emergency department. His admission brought JPMC’s reported tally of rabies and suspected rabies patients this year to nine, including the eight earlier patients who had died.
The World Health Organization says vaccination after exposure is intended to prevent the virus from reaching the central nervous system before illness develops. Once clinical symptoms appear, rabies is almost invariably fatal, and care focuses on relieving suffering. (who.int)
More than 15,000 patients bitten by dogs have been brought to Indus Hospital Karachi since January, according to the spokesperson. Separately reported provincial figures put dog-bite incidents at more than 200,000 this year, including over 40,000 at major Karachi hospitals. (ummat.net, tribune.com.pk)
WHO recommends washing bite wounds immediately and thoroughly with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes, followed by urgent medical assessment and vaccination. For severe exposures, including bites that penetrate the skin, prevention also requires rabies immunoglobulin or approved monoclonal antibodies where indicated.
The protective treatment must be sought promptly after a bite or scratch rather than waiting for symptoms to develop. WHO identifies mass dog vaccination, access to post-exposure treatment, staff training and public awareness as central measures for preventing human rabies deaths.