A 50-year-old woman from Tarlaghatta village, Shivamogga district, Karnataka, has tragically died from rabies following a bite from a domestic cat. Identified as Gangibai, the woman was bitten on her leg by the cat two months prior to her death. The cat, which had previously attacked a young man at a local camp, was infected with rabies.
According to a doctor, Gangibai initially sought medical treatment and received a single rabies injection. However, she failed to complete the recommended course of vaccinations, leading to her eventual demise. Rabies, a deadly viral disease, is transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, typically through bites. Although dog bites are the most common source of rabies in humans, this case highlights that cat bites can also be fatal if not treated promptly.
In a similar incident last year in Akbarpur, Uttar Pradesh, a government teacher and his 24-year-old son both died within a week from rabies after being bitten and scratched by their infected male cat. Officials later revealed that the cat had been bitten by a stray dog, which was the initial source of the rabies infection.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that cat bites are the second most common cause of animal bite-related injuries globally, after dog bites. This tragic case underscores the importance of seeking immediate and complete medical treatment following any animal bite to prevent the potentially fatal consequences of rabies.