Despite receiving timely vaccination and treatment, a six-year-old girl from Peruvalloor in Malappuram district died of rabies on Monday, April 28. The child, identified as Ziya Faris, daughter of Salman Faris, had been in critical condition for several days after contracting the virus and was undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. According to local reports, seven people, including Ziya, were bitten by the same dog on March 29. The others are reportedly in stable condition.
Ziya was bitten by a stray dog on March 29 while walking to a shop near her home. The dog inflicted deep wounds on her head, legs, and shoulder. She was immediately rushed to Tirurangadi Taluk Hospital and later shifted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital. There, she was administered both the intradermal rabies vaccine (IDRV) (delivery of vaccines into the outer layers of the skin) and rabies immunoglobulin (RIG).
Rabies Immunoglobulin (RIG) is also called anti-rabies serum, and is a readymade antibody which provides passive immunity to the victim, as it may take some time for the person’s body to produce antibodies of their own.
Though the wounds were sutured and began to heal by April 1, and Ziya had even resumed playing outdoors, she developed a fever last week. She was readmitted to the medical college hospital on April 25, and tests confirmed she had contracted rabies. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, and doctors said she was unable to open her eyes or consume food.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) certain bite locations — particularly the head, neck, hands, and other highly innervated areas — pose a higher risk for rabies transmission due to their proximity to the central nervous system. In such cases, the virus can reach the brain more rapidly, potentially diminishing the effectiveness of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), even when administered promptly.
Kerala student's death by rabies: How to avoid risk after animal bite