🛑 Rabies Tragedy Sparks Urgent Health Alert in TN & Kerala!
- MediaFx
- Jul 5
- 2 min read
TL;DR: Tamil Nadu’s Public Health Department has urgently alerted all district and city health officers to strictly follow post‑exposure prophylaxis (PEP) guidelines after two children in Kerala tragically died from rabies despite being vaccinated. The DPH emphasises correct bite categorization, immediate wound washing, timely vaccine doses, and administration of rabies immunoglobulin (RIG) for severe bites — any delay or lapse could be fatal.
🧠 What’s Happening?
So here’s the low‑down: Recently, Kerala saw the heartbreaking loss of two kids who got bitten by stray dogs — and despite getting vaccinated, they still died from rabies.Things got more serious in TN, where the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine under Dr. T S Selvavinayagam sounded the alarm.
The DPH has instructed all health workers to go through training on identifying what type of bites need what treatment.
They say rabies vaccine really only works if combined with proper wound cleaning, timely vaccinations, correct dose schedule, strict cold chain, and RIG for deep or nerve proximity bites .
If any part of PEP is skipped or delayed — even washing the wound — that simple slip could spoil everything. For example, if a child is bitten on the face or head, the virus can sneak into nerve endings quicker, making delays a death sentence.
🔍 The Official Bite Guide
Category | Description | Treatment Needed |
I | Touching/feeding animals or licks on intact skin | No PEP |
II | Minor scratches or abrasions (no bleeding) | Vaccine only |
III | Transdermal wounds, deep scratches, licks over broken skin | Vaccine + RIG |
Plus, wash the wound with soap & water for at least 15 minutes, then apply antiseptic — this is the first and most vital defence step.
🚨 TN’s Immediate Actions
24/7 PHC services: PHCs will now administer rabies jabs round the clock, even late at night — nurses will attend no matter what, so bites are never ignored.
No vaccine waste excuses: Multi-dose vials often get cut off midday to avoid wastage. That stops now — patient safety > wastage worries.
Cold chain compliance: All vaccines must be stored at recommended temps; any lapse could render doses useless .
Switch to single-dose vials: TN Medical Services is looking to order single-dose packs to reduce open-vial risk.
📊 Stark Stats
In 2025 TN reported over 300,000 dog bites and 18 rabies deaths so far — up from 480,000 bites and 24 deaths in 2024.
In Kerala, over 102 rabies deaths in five years included 20 vaccinated individuals — suggesting failures are more about process than product.
💬 MediaFx Perspective
Yaar, it’s gut‑wrenching to see kids losing their lives not because of medicine failure, but due to sloppy system follow‑ups. From the people’s perspective, vaccine doses, RIG, vigilant wound care — it’s basic stuff, not fancy hospital equipment. We need constant vigilance, training from top to bottom, and real accountability in public health. No more excuses. Everyone — from health workers to officials — must remember: in these cases, timely action is life or death.
👇 Tell Us in Comments
Have you or anyone you know experienced a dog bite? How prompt was the care? Share your story — your experience could save a life.
