Kashmir: Baby dies from rabies after stray dogs jump through her window and bite her
An eight-month old baby in Srinagar, Kashmir has died from the lethal virus rabies after being mauled by stray dogs in her home as she slept, according to a Free Press Kashmir report.
According to reports by local press, the child was bitten several times, which required at least 47 stiches on her face.
Image/CDC
Approximately one week after the tragic incident, the baby, Shafia Ahad, died from rabies according to doctors at the G.B. Panth Hospital.
The report notes that incidence of dog bites have been rising in the country as a whole, and in the capital specifically.
In fact, in a report this past March on GreaterKashmir.com, they note that due to the dog menace, at least 20 persons have died of rabies in the past five years while 80000 cases of dog bites have been reported in the Valley during this period, according to official figures.
Kasmir’s neighbors to the south, India, accounts for nearly 36% of the total deaths due to Rabies world-wide, with some 20,000 deaths annually from rabies.
Rabies is an acute viral infection that is transmitted to humans or other mammals usually through the saliva from a bite of an infected animal. It is also rarely contracted through breaks in the skin or contact with mucous membranes. It has been suggested that airborne transmission is possible in caves where there are heavy concentrations of bats.
According to the Control of Communicable Diseases Manual, all mammals are susceptible to rabies. Raccoons, skunks, foxes, bats, dogs, coyotes and cats are the likely suspects. Other animals like otters and ferrets are also high risk. Mammals like rabbits, squirrels, rodents and opossums are rarely infected.
Rabies infected animals can appear very aggressive, attacking for no reason. Some may act very tame. They may look like they are foaming at the mouth or drooling because they cannot swallow their saliva. Sometimes the animal may stagger (this can also be seen in distemper). Not long after this point they will die. Most animals can transmit rabies days before showing symptoms.
Initially, like in many diseases, the symptoms of rabies are non-specific; fever, headache and malaise. This may last several days. At the site of the bite, there may be some pain and discomfort. Symptoms then progress to more severe: confusion, delirium, abnormal behavior and hallucinations. If it gets this far, the disease is nearly 100% fatal.
Worldwide it is estimated that there are more than 55,000 deaths due to rabies annually.
Human rabies is prevented by administration of rabies vaccine and rabies immune globulin.
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