A five-year-old boy from Tamil Nadu died of suspected rabies at the Kannur Government Medical College Hospital (MCH) on Saturday, despite receiving anti-rabies vaccination.
The deceased, identified as Harith, was the son of Manimaran and Sandhiya. The family lives in a rented house at Payyambalam. Harith was bitten by a stray dog on May 31 while playing on the lawn near the house. The dog bit him on the right eye and leg.
Following the attack, the boy was taken to the Kannur district hospital, where he was administered anti-rabies vaccine three times. He had travelled to his native village in Kallakurichi in Tamil Nadu before receiving the final dose of the vaccine.
However, the child began showing symptoms such as fever, and his condition worsened soon. He was admitted to the MCH and was under intensive care for 12 days before succumbing to the disease. The incident has heightened public concern amid a surge in stray dog attacks reported across Kannur city in recent weeks.
Published – June 28, 2025 09:32 pm IST