DOLAKHA, AUGUST 26

At least three persons died after a rabid dog bit them in Melung and Baiteshwor Rural Municipalities of Dolakha district.

Ram Chandra Bhandari, 32, of the rural municipality died in the course of treatment in Patan Hospital, Lalitpur, today.

The rabid dog had bitten him one and-a-half-months ago. Bhandari was admitted to the health facility as he had experienced health problems some days after the dog bit him.

Similarly, Kushal Nepali, 14, and eight-year-old Surya BK of Baiteshwor Rural Municipality in the district died a week ago.

They were staying in their maternal uncle’s house.

According to the department of health of the rural municipality, the trio died after the rabid dog bit them.

Ward No 6 Chairman Raj Kusum Lama said that the mad dog had bitten ten other locals of wards 5, 6 and 7 around one-and-a-half-months ago. He said that the trio died as they did not go for rabies vaccine regularly. Though the first dose of rabies vaccine was given to them immediately after the incident.

The condition of the other persons is said to be normal. The rabid dog has already been killed. Locals said ten persons, who were bitten by the same dog, have been going though mental trauma after the death of three persons.

Spokesperson for the rural municipality Hira Thokar said it was very sad that the three persons died due to rabies even though they were given rabies vaccine.

He urged the locals to vaccinate the dogs in the locality.

According to Charikot Primary Health Centre, more than 600 people were bitten by dogs in the last three years.

The government had provided the vaccine against rabies free of cost in all government health facilities.

The person, who was bitten by any animal, has to be vaccinated three times on a regular basis.

Dr Tula Gupta said that the first vaccine had to be administered on the same day after the dog bite, the second vaccine on the third day and third vaccine on the seventh day. Dr Gupta added that treatment would become impossible once rabies symptoms are seen in a person.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on August 27, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.