Rabies death toll in Sindh rises to 40 as two children die

KARACHI/HYDERABAD: Sindh’s rabies crisis has claimed two more young lives within 24 hours, bringing the reported death toll in the province to 40 this year, according to a count compiled by Minute Mirror.

The latest victims were an 11-year-old boy in Hyderabad and a six-year-old child in Matli, Badin district, highlighting concerns over stray dog bites and the timely administration of rabies prevention treatment.

Hyderabad Boy Dies at Hospital

Eleven-year-old Inam, a resident of Latifabad, Hyderabad, died at Liaquat University Hospital (LUH) on Friday night, October 17.

Hyderabad District Health Officer Dr Pir Ghulam Hussain said the boy had been bitten by a dog about two months earlier, but the wound had healed and his parents were unaware of the incident until he developed symptoms of rabies.

According to the DHO, the family initially took the child to Jinnah Hospital in Karachi, where rabies was confirmed, before transferring him to LUH on October 13.

With his death, the number of reported rabies fatalities in Hyderabad district has reached four this year.

Six-Year-Old Dies in Matli

A day earlier, on October 16, six-year-old Zeeshan Shidi died in Keti Para, Matli, after being bitten by a stray dog near his home.

His father, Irfan Shidi, said the child received an anti-rabies vaccine at Taluka Hospital Matli. However, his condition deteriorated suddenly during the night, and he could not survive.

Sindh Reports 40 Rabies Deaths

According to Minute Mirror’s tally, 40 people have died from rabies in Sindh in 2026. The reported hospital breakdown includes 30 deaths at Indus Hospital Karachi, nine at Jinnah Hospital Karachi and one at Indus Hospital Badin.

The latest fatalities follow the death of 70-year-old Ghulam Rasool from Karachi’s Baldia Town, who reportedly died at Jinnah Hospital after being bitten on his hand and leg. He developed hydrophobia, or fear of water, and aerophobia, an aversion to moving air, both recognised symptoms of advanced rabies.

Last week, 38-year-old Naimatullah from Diplo, Tharparkar, also died at Indus Hospital despite receiving four vaccine doses between July 25 and August 8. The supplied information attributed the fatal outcome to inadequate wound washing.

More than 200,000 dog-bite cases have reportedly been recorded across Sindh this year, including over 15,000 at Indus Hospital Karachi and 2,944 in Hyderabad district. The latter figure represents a 63 per cent increase compared with the same period last year.

Doctors Urge Immediate Treatment

Health experts warn that rabies is almost invariably fatal once clinical symptoms appear, but the disease is preventable through prompt and appropriate treatment after exposure.

People bitten or scratched by a potentially rabid animal should immediately wash the wound with soap and running water for at least 15 minutes and seek urgent medical attention. Post-exposure treatment may include rabies vaccination and rabies immunoglobulin, depending on the exposure and vaccination history.

Doctors also advise against applying chilli, oil or other unproven substances to wounds, stressing that timely medical care is critical to preventing further deaths.