According to her father, Salman Faris, doctors discharged her after the first dose and asked for follow-up visits. Though initially believed to be recovering, Ziya developed a fever a week ago and tested positive for rabies.
Published Apr 29, 2025 | 10:23 AM ⚊ Updated Apr 29, 2025 | 10:23 AM
Kerala had an estimated population of 2.80 lakh street dogs in 2022, and their number has been increasing by 20% every year. (Representational image/iStock)
Synopsis: A five-year-old girl who was undergoing treatment for rabies succumbed to the infection in Kozhikode despite receiving preventive vaccination. Though initially believed to be recovering, Ziya developed a fever a week ago and tested positive for rabies.
A five-year-old girl who was undergoing treatment for rabies succumbed to the infection at the Medical College Hospital, Kozhikode, in Kerala early on Tuesday, 29 April, despite receiving preventive vaccination.
Ziya Faris, a native of the Kakathadam area in Peruvallur in the Malappuram district, was attacked by a stray dog on 29 March while stepping out to buy sweets, suffering severe injuries to her head and leg.
She was first treated at Tirurangadi taluk hospital in Malappuram and was later shifted to Kozhikode, where she received the intradermal rabies vaccine.
According to her father, Salman Faris, doctors discharged her after the first dose and asked for follow-up visits. Though initially believed to be recovering, Ziya developed a fever a week ago and tested positive for rabies.
On the same day, seven other people in the locality were bitten by the same stray dog. She spent six days in the ICU before passing away.
The family has alleged medical negligence, while hospital authorities insist that all protocols were properly followed. Notably, none of the other seven people bitten by the same dog have shown symptoms.
In 2022 there were instances in which people died of rabies despite getting vaccinated.
Then, the Union and state governments formed expert panels to study the same.
Though there were allegations of quality of vaccine being provided, the state health department was of the position that a majority of the people died due to rabies had not taken the vaccine after the dog bite as per the rabies post exposure prophylaxis.
A panel from the Union government also ruled out ineffective vaccines angle but point out to improper and delayed treatment. It also points out to knowledge gaps in wound assessment and treatment of rabies victims.
In the latest case, the health department said it will conduct a detailed analysis.
(With inputs from Sreelakshmi Soman and Dileep V Kumar.)
