Suspected rabies death in Alappuzha, Kerala

A 17-year-old student from Pushpamangalath, Karumadi East, Thakazhi, succumbed to suspected rabies while undergoing treatment at the Children’s Hospital in Alappuzha, Kerala. The boy sustained a bite from a domestic dog approximately two weeks before the incident and had not received the rabies vaccine after the attack. Following the manifestation of initial symptoms, the patient was admitted to hospital until his condition deteriorated, ultimately resulting in his demise. As a precautionary measure, individuals in the immediate social and familial circles of the patient will be administered the rabies vaccine. This incident marks the fourth suspected case of rabies-related fatality in Kerala within the past month, following the deaths of three girls, aged 7, 12, and 5, respectively, all of whom had received vaccinations against rabies.