Karachi records first rabies case of the year as 8-year-old girl fights for life

Karachi has recorded its first rabies case of the year as an eight-year-old girl has developed the symptoms of the deadly disease.

According to details, the child hails from Jhol, Sanghar district, and was bitten by a stray dog around one and a half months ago. Rabies symptoms appeared weeks later, after which she was shifted to Korangi’s Indus Hospital for treatment.

Aftab Gohar, manager of the Rabies Prevention Clinic at Indus Hospital, said that the girl was taken to several government hospitals but did not receive proper treatment. 

During the initial treatment, her wound was not even washed, which is the most critical step in preventing rabies after a dog bite, he said.

Hospital officials confirmed that the child is showing clear signs of advanced rabies, including fear of water and air, indicating that the disease has reached a critical stage.

Health authorities said that so far this year, around 1,500 dog bite cases have been reported at Indus Hospital, while Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre has recorded about 800 such cases. More than 400 dog bite incidents have also been reported at Civil Hospital Karachi.

Official data shows that last year, at least 20 people lost their lives due to rabies at two major hospitals in Karachi.

Medical experts have urged the public to immediately wash dog bite wounds thoroughly with soap and water and seek complete vaccination from a nearby hospital. They warned that once rabies symptoms appear, the disease is almost always fatal.