Dog bite cases have been significantly increasing across India over the past few years. This steady rise is driven largely by stray dogs, contributing to a major public health concern.

Data reveals that more than 37 lakh cases of dog bites and 54 suspected human rabies deaths were reported during 2024. According to the World Health Organisation, India contributes 36 percent of global rabies deaths.

As per the latest reports, the Delhi government is set to declare human rabies a notifiable disease under the Epidemic Diseases Act.

After implementation of this policy, all government and private health facilities will be legally required to report all suspected, probable, and confirmed cases of human rabies to designated health authorities as soon as they are identified.

Beyond physical injury, dog bites can lead to severe, potentially fatal illnesses, including rabies, sepsis, and meningitis, especially when left untreated. To help you reduce the risk of severe illness, here's a complete guide to first aid for dog bites.

Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic, viral disease affecting the central nervous system. According to WHO data, in up to 99% of human rabies cases, dogs are responsible for virus transmission. 

Source:Ndtv