A 57-year-old man from Erode district died on Monday due to suspected rabies infection, five days after the viral disease claimed the life of a 23-year-old woman from Coimbatore.
Health Department officials said that the deceased, who hailed from Bhavani in Erode district, suffered dog bite a month ago. However, he did not get himself administered with the anti-rabies vaccine. Officials said that the patient was admitted to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) on Monday and he died on the same day.
“The patient was admitted with complaints of hydrophobia, aerophobia, encephalitis and other symptoms of rabies. He had suffered a dog bite on leg a month ago and he had not been vaccinated as per the patient’s medical records,” said CMCH Dean A. Nirmala.
Though the person exhibited typical symptoms of rabies, a laboratory examination did not confirm the infection. Hence, it was considered as a suspected case of rabies, said P. Aruna, Deputy Director of Health Services, Coimbatore, who has been appointed to the same post in Erode and is scheduled to assume the office on Wednesday.
On October 9, a 23-year-old woman hailing from Saravanampatti in the Coimbatore died of rabies in a private hospital. She had sought treatment in a clinic after the dog bite. The woman was admitted to the private hospital after she started exhibiting symptoms of rabies infection.
City Health Officer K. Boopathi said the woman reportedly contracted rabies through the bite of a pet dog. However, she did not get herself vaccinated against rabies after the incident, leading to her death.
The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation is planning to organise an anti-rabies vaccination drive for dogs, in partnership with a non-governmental organisation, following the death of the young woman.
Published - October 15, 2024 06:54 pm IST
