Karachi: A 35-year-old woman from Hyderabad has been shifted to Karachi in critical condition after developing rabies symptoms, health officials said on Friday, as dog bite cases in Sindh crossed 90,000 this year and fatalities from the deadly disease continued to rise.
Officials at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) said the woman was referred from Hyderabad after exhibiting hydrophobia, or fear of water, along with other clinical signs associated with rabies.
Hospital authorities said the patient has been admitted to JPMC and is being closely monitored by doctors. Her condition is said to be critical.
The latest case has once again highlighted the growing public health threat posed by rabies and the alarming increase in dog bite incidents across Sindh.
According to data from the Sindh Health Department, more than 90,000 dog bite cases have been reported across the province so far this year, averaging over 700 incidents every day.
Health experts warned that despite repeated awareness campaigns, many victims either fail to seek immediate medical treatment or do not complete the prescribed anti rabies vaccination course, leaving them vulnerable to the disease.
Rabies is a viral infection that attacks the brain and nervous system and is usually transmitted through the bite or scratch of an infected animal, most commonly a dog. Once symptoms appear, the disease is almost always fatal.
Medical experts stressed that rabies is entirely preventable if timely treatment is provided after exposure. They advised people bitten by dogs to immediately wash wounds thoroughly with soap and running water and seek urgent medical care for post exposure vaccination.
The latest case comes as Karachi has already reported 10 rabies related deaths this year, raising concerns among health professionals about gaps in prevention, awareness and access to life saving vaccines.
Public health experts have repeatedly called for a coordinated provincial response, including mass vaccination of dogs, effective stray dog population control, improved disease surveillance and uninterrupted availability of anti rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin at public health facilities.
Citizens and civil society organisations have also urged authorities to strengthen efforts to curb the stray dog population and ensure that anti rabies vaccines remain available at hospitals and healthcare centres across Sindh.
Health officials reiterated that every dog bite should be treated as a medical emergency, warning that any delay in seeking treatment can have fatal consequences.