Rabies Outbreak Grips Delhi, Devastating Children and Elderly

In a recent development, the Supreme Court of India has taken suo motu cognizance of a report highlighting the alarming rise in rabies cases and deaths, particularly among children and the elderly, due to stray dog bites in and around Delhi.

The bench, led by Justice JB Pardiwala, termed the issue "deeply disturbing" and cited a recent news report that detailed the increasing number of dog bite incidents and the failure of civic authorities to control the situation. The court noted that hundreds of dog bite incidents have been reported in both the city and its peripheral areas, with many leading to rabies infections.

Significantly, the report underscored that it is infants and senior citizens who are falling prey to this deadly disease. The Supreme Court has now ordered the registry to register a public interest writ petition under its own motion, and the matter will be placed before the Chief Justice of India for further directions.

This development comes on the heels of a study published in The Lancet, which revealed that India faces an alarming burden of rabies, with nearly 5,700 people dying from the disease annually, one of the highest fatality rates globally. The report also highlighted the scale of animal bite incidents in the country, estimating around 9 million cases each year, with two-thirds involving dog bites, which remain the primary source of rabies transmission in India.